Alonso powerless: 'Would love to design F1 car, but I'm a driver'

Alonso powerless with Aston Martin

Alonso crossed the finish line in eighth place at the Belgian Grand Prix. "We cannot hide the fact that we are fighting today with Williams, AlphaTauri and Alpine. Last year we were looking maybe to the top four teams. Now they are out of reach and we are just defending from the guys behind," the 43-year-old Spaniard told the likes of GPblog.

"Even at the beginning of the year, in qualifying especially, we were always top five top six, in the mix, so definitely a lot of work to do for us in summer break and the second part of the year. We will not give up, but we need to work," stressed Alonso, who feels somewhat powerless in the matter. "I'm a driver. I would love to design the car, but I'm not able to do it."

In terms of updates, Alonso and teammate Lance Stroll do not have to count on a miracle either. "I don't think so. I don't think there is anything planned, so it’s more for us to understand the weaknesses of the car, the parts that we need to improve. But I think all the work will be done for 2025. I think I don't expect any big jumps in 2024," Alonso concluded.

This article has been written in collaboration with Matt Gretton