Fernando Alonso slammed the competitiveness of Formula 1’s backmarkers after a first-lap collision at the United States Grand Prix ruined his race at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas.
Alonso blames Williams driver Alex Albon for Austin crash
Fernando Alonso started the United States Grand Prix from 12th on the grid after receiving a boost from penalties applied to drivers ahead of him in qualifying. However, his race effectively ended before completing the opening lap when Williams driver Alex Albon struck his Aston Martin during an overtaking attempt at Turn 11. The incident occurred when Albon misjudged his braking point, resulting in a lateral collision that severely hampered the Spaniard’s performance.
The impact tore away a significant portion of the floor and left Alonso’s front wing dangling before it eventually detached completely, forcing Aston Martin to service the vehicle in the pits. Alonso spent the remainder of the afternoon circulating near the rear of the field and ultimately crossed the finish line in 16th place.
Driver quality in the rear of the grid sparks fierce debate
Following the race, the two-time world champion did not hold back his assessment of the drivers racing in the lower third of the Formula 1 field. Speaking to reporters after the race in Austin, Alonso pointed to the incident with Alex Albon as evidence that the quality of drivers in the final third of the grid is very low.
Creo que cuando sales atrás siempre existe este riesgo,
Alonso stated, translated into English as the driver explaining that starting further back inherently brings traffic hazards. Creo que la calidad de los pilotos del último tercio de la parrilla es muy baja. Como hemos visto hoy con Alex.
Alonso estimated that the resulting damage cost his car more than half a second per lap in pure pace. An inspection of the AMR26 in parc fermé revealed that half of the floor was missing from the impact. The driver noted that, but for the damage, he believed he had realistic chances of finishing in the top ten.
Aston Martin struggles compound grid position woes
While Alonso voiced sharp criticism of his midfield and backmarker peers, analysis from the paddock suggests the underlying issue stems from Aston Martin’s lack of raw pace during the 2026 season. If the car possessed the performance to challenge Ferrari, McLaren, or Mercedes, Alonso would not find himself battling inside the vulnerable lower third of the grid, where he was flanked by veterans Pierre Gasly and Nico Hulkenberg ahead, and rookies Gabriel Bortoleto and Arvid Lindblad behind.
With logistical challenges mounting as Formula 1 heads outside of Europe for the final rounds of the calendar, major technical upgrades for Aston Martin and engine partner Honda remain unlikely. Alonso sits stuck on seven championship points with limited opportunities remaining to add to his tally before the season concludes. Despite the trend of veterans like Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Pérez accepting their current standing with relative resignation, the 45-year-old Spaniard insists he refuses to surrender to the evidence of his current position. Así que tenemos que mejorar el coche para empezar algo más adelante,
he concluded.
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