In great difficulty all weekend, Aston Martin is now relying on uncertain weather to hope to turn the situation around.
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Nothing is going as planned for Aston Martin during this 2026 Miami Grand Prix. Between lack of performance and repeated technical issues, the British team is going through a particularly difficult weekend.
The results speak for themselves: Fernando Alonso will start at the back of the grid after an 18th place in qualifying, while Lance Stroll will start even further back. A critical situation that reflects the current difficulties of the team.
Alonso between progress and new problems
On Alonso’s side, the assessment is mixed. The Spaniard notes some improvements, notably on a crucial point: “Qualifying performance has improved a bit compared to yesterday and the sprint, and it’s a relief that the power unit vibration problems have improved.”
However, these improvements were quickly hampered by new issues: “Unfortunately, we had gearbox problems that limited us.”
A series of setbacks that prevents any build-up and forces the team to urgently review some settings before the race.
Stroll hindered by unfavorable circumstances
The same story for Lance Stroll, who mentions a slight improvement… without real impact on the standings: “It feels like we’ve made small progress since yesterday’s sprint qualifying.”
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But the Canadian also points out external factors that compromised his session: “We had traffic problems during the last attempt in Q1 and we didn’t get the tires in the right window.”
A lack of optimization which, combined with the car’s limits, leaves little room for maneuver.
Rain as an unexpected wildcard
In this complicated context, all eyes are now turning to the weather. With a risk of thunderstorms forecast, the race could completely reshuffle the cards.
Alonso remains cautious but open: “We haven’t driven in the rain yet, so if the weather changes, it will be a learning experience for everyone.”
Stroll shares this measured hope: “The weather will play an important role for everyone.”
Under normal conditions, Aston Martin seems doomed to suffer. But in the rain, the benchmarks disappear and opportunities emerge. It remains to be seen if the team will seize this chance… or if this weekend in Miami will mark a new low point in their season.
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