Key Highlights:
- Fernando Alonso secured his first Q3 appearance of the season, finishing ninth fastest during a rain-delayed qualifying session at Interlagos.
- A grid penalty for Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc elevates the Aston Martin driver to eighth on the starting grid for Sunday’s Sao Paulo Grand Prix.
- Alonso acknowledged that scoring points in the 71-lap race will likely depend on continued wet weather, noting the car’s dry-weather pace remains limited.
Fernando Alonso Delivers Season-Best Qualifying Effort at Interlagos
Fernando Alonso secured his highest grid position of the year at the Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace, navigating treacherous wet conditions to place Aston Martin inside the final segment of qualifying for the first time this season. The session ahead of the Sao Paulo Grand Prix was initially pushed back due to torrential rainfall, but once track activity began, the two-time Formula 1 World Champion maintained a steady presence in the upper half of the order.
The veteran Spaniard posted competitive times across all three stages of the session, recording the eighth-fastest time in Q1, seventh in Q2, and ultimately concluding Q3 in ninth position. The quickest running of the top-ten shootout came at the very beginning of the phase before track conditions deteriorated further.
Not fun because the conditions were tricky. The level of focus was quite high today,
Alonso stated after exiting the car. Unknown conditions for everyone, especially on this year’s car. I think we didn’t have much practice on the wets. It was all experimental a little bit and the first Q3 of the season feels good.
Aston Martin’s Ongoing Challenges and Grid Promotion
Aston Martin has experienced an arduous campaign adapting to the new-for-2026 regulations. While mid-season aerodynamic and mechanical updates have extracted more performance from the chassis, the squad continues to grapple with deficit in power and lingering reliability concerns tied to its Honda power unit. Despite these structural setbacks, Alonso has remained the team’s sole points scorer this season, having collected top-ten results at Monaco, the Netherlands, and Malaysia.
Alonso’s ninth-place qualifying effort translates into an eighth-place starting slot on Sunday’s grid following an enforced penalty applied to Charles Leclerc. However, the driver remains realistic about his race prospects, indicating that maintaining a points-paying position over the course of the 71-lap grand prix will heavily depend on whether rain impacts the race.
It opens a new possibility for us. Obviously the conditions, let’s see if tomorrow is wet all through the race, maybe we have a chance to score points,
Alonso explained. If not, I think we will go back to our natural position. FP3 in the dry was a little bit disappointing, so we need to remain with the feet on the ground.
Why This Matters
Breaking into Q3 marks a significant operational and psychological milestone for Aston Martin amid a testing campaign under the 2026 technical framework. With Honda’s engine still trailing behind primary rivals in power delivery and overall reliability, inclement weather has presented the Silverstone-based team with rare strategic openings. Maximizing these unpredictable conditions is crucial for Aston Martin to secure vital points, especially when dry-weather pace leaves them vulnerable to falling back through the midfield.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where will Fernando Alonso start the Sao Paulo Grand Prix?
Although Fernando Alonso qualified in ninth position, he will take the green flag from eighth place on the grid due to a grid penalty assessed to Charles Leclerc.
At which races has Fernando Alonso scored points this season?
Entering the Sao Paulo Grand Prix, Alonso has delivered all of Aston Martin’s championship points this year courtesy of top-ten finishes in Monaco, the Netherlands, and Malaysia.
Why does Alonso believe rain is necessary for a strong race result?
Alonso pointed out that the team’s dry running during Free Practice 3 was disappointing. He cautioned that without rain to disrupt the field, the car’s performance deficit would likely push them back to their natural dry-weather standing outside the top positions.