Aston Martin so deep in trouble it has turned Alonso into an ‘F1 test driver’

Aston Martin’s start to the season has proven nothing short of a disaster, despite having a technical genius like Adrian Newey in their ranks, with the Spaniard only managing to see the chequered flag by the third race - and still miles away from anything resembling a competitive performance.

Speaking on F1 Nation, Palmer believes Alonso has almost been taken back to the early days of his career, with what he’s doing now being anything but racing.

Speaking to DAZN ahead of the start, the Spaniard warned that the growing speed differentials between cars would lead to more position changes driven by circumstance rather than genuine racing, with drivers either clearing rivals or ending up in incidents - exactly what later happened to Bearman.

He explained that most overtakes now come down to energy deployment, with drivers suddenly finding themselves with more battery than the car ahead and either making an easy pass or running into trouble. In his view, it has become more about avoiding contact than executing a proper overtake.

He also pointed out that traditional elements of racing - such as taking risks, braking later, or attempting different lines through a corner - have largely disappeared. Instead, the outcome is dictated by battery levels, with drivers either gaining positions or losing them depending on their energy situation, leaving little room for variation in the racing.