Fernando Alonso admits his motivation waned in the closing stages of the 2024 F1 season, due to Aston Martin “not fighting for anything” in the championship.
With over two decades of experience and a career that spans generations, Alonso remains a defining figure in Formula 1.
But the two-time world champion expected more from this year’s campaign than a role reduced to a mere midfield contender with Team Silverstone.
While looking ahead to 2025 with optimism, fueled by the team’s new wind tunnel facility and the addition of Adrian Newey, the 43-year-old acknowledged the difficulties he encountered in 2024.
“There were a couple of races that I was not maybe comfortable with the car, or I was not super motivated,” he admitted, speaking on the BBC’s Chequered Flag podcast.
“When you are not super motivated or you are not fighting for anything in the championship, you are a little bit down on energy.”
The Spaniard’s motivation slump stemmed largely from Aston’s struggles in 2024, a year in which team and driver were unable to meet the high expectations they had set after their strong 2023 campaign.
Reflecting on the year as a whole, Alonso didn’t shy away from expressing his disappointment.
“It has been definitely not as we expected or as we predicted,” he explained. “We had high expectations after the 2023 campaign, and we started strong at the beginning of the year, but then it seems that we were not able to improve the car throughout the season.
“We were in the midfield for most of 2024, and at the end of the season, even a little bit worse than the midfield.
“All in all, I think disappointed in some of the phases of the campaign, but we ended up fifth in the Constructors’, which was the minimum requirement.”
©AstonMartin
The main issue impacting Aston Martin’s AMR24 was a chronic lack of car stability, which made it challenging for Alonso to extract consistent performances from his mount.
“It was a disconnection of the car,” Alonso explained. “Front and rear axle were not really working at the same time in the same phase of the corner.
“So at the entry of the corner, maybe one of the two axles, they were working. One would switch off mid-corner. Maybe the other axle was doing the opposite.
“When you go through the lap and through different corners, and both axles are doing different things, and they are not talking to each other, the car is really difficult to drive.”
Despite the challenges, Alonso found reasons to remain positive. Aston Martin achieved significant milestones off the track, including the completion of major factory upgrades and the hiring of legendary designer Adrian Newey.
“It’s difficult to put 2024 as a bad year in my book,” Alonso said. “We completed buildings two and three of the factory on the new campus, and we hired Adrian Newey.”
©AstonMartin
On the track, Alonso dramatically outperformed teammate Lance Stroll and was instrumental in Aston Martin securing fifth place in the Constructors’ Championship.
“I’m happy, but I don’t need those stats to really motivate myself,” he said, reflecting on his dominant edge over his younger teammate.
Heading into the new season, Alonso remains focused and optimistic, especially with Aston Martin’s developments and the arrival of Newey set to reshape the team’s future.
“My self-confidence will be always there until there is one day that I don’t feel comfortable in the car; I feel slower than my teammates, or slower than what I think is possible with the car,” he explained.
“If that date arrives, probably I will raise my hand and I will stop racing because I will not enjoy anymore.”
For now, however, that day seems far away. Fernando Alonso, ever the competitor, remains determined to continue fighting on the Formula 1 grid – ready for what he hopes will be a stronger 2025 season with Aston Martin.
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