It's 'sad' and 'painful' to witness Alonso's struggles.

      "Bahrain indicates your car's performance"

      Experiencing Fernando Alonso struggling with a Formula 1 car that he candidly acknowledges isn't capable of scoring a single point in 2025 is "painful" and "sad." The silver lining is that Adrian Newey is currently developing an entirely new vehicle for the two-time champion to race next year, but for now, it's "painful," according to longtime friend and colleague Pedro de la Rosa.

      "But it is what it is - it’s reality," stated the Aston Martin ambassador and former F1 driver. "It's not that we had a bad race (in Bahrain) or executed poorly," de la Rosa remarked. "The team executed the strategy well and took advantage of the opportunities we had. That’s the true reflection of the car's performance.

      "Bahrain reveals where your car stands based on its actual performance," he added. Alonso and his teammate Lance Stroll finished 18th and 20th, respectively, in terms of their fastest race laps on Sunday. Luca di Montezemolo, the former president of Ferrari who brought Alonso to the Maranello team in 2009, expressed that watching the 43-year-old on track was indeed "very sad."

      "I’m very sad for Fernando," the 77-year-old shared with DAZN, making his first appearance in an F1 paddock in a decade. "To see a driver like Fernando, nearing the end of his career, in such an uncompetitive car, is truly saddening. This year is going to be extremely challenging for him, but I hope that next year, which might be Fernando’s last in Formula 1, brings him a competitive car.

      "He’s a great friend, and I've had wonderful moments with him. He’s an exceptional champion," the Italian added. Aston Martin is undoubtedly focused on 2026, with this year's car largely derived from its predecessor.

      "It feels like the car is struggling at low speeds," Alonso explained. "This is a known issue we've experienced since last year and continue to face." He remains optimistic that the upcoming race in Jeddah will be a better opportunity for Aston Martin.

      "But doing well is one thing, and being 14th instead of 18th is another," Alonso lamented.