De la Rosa: Alonso's Monaco crash signals deeper Aston Martin driveability crisis

Aston Martin ambassador Pedro de la Rosa insists Fernando Alonso's Monaco chicane brush reflected deeper AMR26 driveability failures rather than an isolated glitch. Alonso had specifically warned of random downshifts triggering rear locking during Thursday media sessions, and a day later narrowly avoided a full spin but clipped the wall, damaging his front wing endplate.

Why it matters:

Aston Martin's switch to Honda works power units and in-house gearboxes under the 2026 regulations has created a predictability crisis that threatens to derail its season. When drivers cannot trust torque delivery and brake balance through downshifts, confidence evaporates and lap times suffer, particularly on unforgiving street circuits where mistakes carry immediate consequences.

The details:

• De la Rosa acknowledged Alonso suffered "massive rear locking" but could not confirm whether a downshift triggered the incident without reviewing full data.
• Systems issue: The team views the crash as part of a broader pattern linking brake balance, downshift behavior, and rear locking under its new powertrain setup.
• Energy recovery trade-off: Drivers are resorting to extremely short gearing through corners to maximize battery recharge, a tactic that amplifies instability when downshifts lack smoothness.
• De la Rosa made the team's priority clear: "I don't care about that. The car is still too difficult to drive, so we still have to work a lot more."

What's next:

Aston Martin must urgently integrate its Honda powertrain and gearbox to restore driver confidence and extract consistent performance. With senior figures openly conceding the car remains fundamentally unpredictable across braking and downshifting scenarios, the Silverstone squad faces a race against time to salvage its competitive standing under the 2026 rules.