Fernando Alonso finished ninth at the Las Vegas Grand Prix, adding valuable points for Aston Martin as the team navigated a demanding street circuit. Lance Stroll secured a strong fifth place, underscoring the Silverstone squad’s resilience in a weekend full of distractions and tight margins. The result could have been even sweeter, but Alonso’s early comeback, aided by an unfolding safety-car phase, kept Aston Martin in the hunt and highlighted the car’s potential under tough conditions.
“I still need to see what happens. I lost the car, I don’t know if I was stuck between cars or alone. When I saw myself in front of the Alfa Romeo and turning the wrong way, I thought that would be the end of me. I thought my race was over at the first corner. That’s why I’m happy to get points,” Alonso explained after the flag, reflecting on a race that demanded quick adaptions and a bit of luck to climb into the points on a tricky city track, especially under safety-car assistance that reshaped the strategy.
Verstappen practices his law in Las Vegas
“We achieved more than we thought. Lance started from 19th and finished fifth, which is tops. We missed the opportunity to do more with me. When the pace allowed it, both cars found themselves in the points, and that counts as a positive outcome,” team engineers and drivers explained in the post-race mood. The squad’s ability to convert a difficult qualifying into solid race results underscores their depth and adaptability for the season ahead, especially as fans in North America, including Canada and the United States, continue to embrace the spectacle of Formula 1 in a new, high-stakes venue.
Regarding the endurance and evolution of the Grand Prix on the Las Vegas strip, Alonso offered constructive notes on the street circuit’s challenges: “The adhesion level of the asphalt is very low. This is true for everyone, but on street tracks it creates a heightened risk. We will learn from it and move forward.” The day’s events also highlighted how variables like tire grip and track temperature can stress compounds and grains, influencing tire behavior across the race. Lando Norris’s incident served as a reminder of the safety margins on a mixed-surface course. The mood inside the cockpit mixed enjoyment with the reality of the demanding surface and evolving asphalt temperature. “The second year should bring improvements,” Alonso added, summarizing a day that left the team hungry for progress.
Sainz resigned: “It was a very tough race”
As the season nears its end, the focus shifts to Yas Marina in Abu Dhabi for the final test of the year. Alonso, while keen to finish on a positive note, kept expectations grounded, emphasizing enjoyment of the last race rather than chasing specific targets: “We will try to finish the season with a strong result, savoring the racing and the opportunities we had to pass when the track offered chances.” The Las Vegas weekend, with its rapid changes and tight margins, left a clear impression on the drivers and engineers about what works on a street circuit and where further development is needed to keep Aston Martin competitive in the closing rounds.