Despite comments to the contrary from Lando Norris, Fernando Alonso remains steadfast in his belief that it will be ‘difficult’ to see any outside the top four wins in 2025.
Last year saw seven different race winners across the 24 race season. With each of the top four teams managing to make it to the top step.
Though it was the most competitive season F1 had seen in years, the gap between the top four teams and the rest of the grid was massive.
Mercedes finished fourth in the season with 468 points and Aston Martin in fifth had 94 points. With 2025 being the last year under the current regulation, there has been talk that this coming season will be even more competitive than 2024.
Lando Norris said at the F1 75 live event that he believes 2025 will be the year that teams outside the top four constructors will be able to win. However, Fernando Alonso disagreed.
Alonso’s scepticism
At pre-season testing in Bahrain, Fernando Alonso was asked about whether he agreed with the McLaren driver’s predictions for the upcoming year. He quickly shut it down.
Admitting he thought it would be ‘difficult’ for any team outside the top four to get a win.
Alonso also believed Norris’ statement came because McLaren seemed to have the fastest car. Changing the Brit’s attitude in comparison to previous years.
He said, “Now that [Norris] has the winning car, he says that. When he was in the fifth or sixth team, he was saying that only one team would win all the races.”
“So, this is a normal, confident speech, you know. So, it’s good for him, but I think it’s going to be difficult.”
Alonso also talked about how the improved reliability damages the chances for ‘surprise wins’ from teams further down the grid. This applies to the strategies too, which he claimed are ‘quite defined.’
He said, “Even on Thursday before coming to the Grand Prix, you know exactly it’s going to be one stop, two stops, which tyre you will use. So, everything is so perfect now that it’s difficult to change or to make a race unpredictable.”
The exception to the rule is weather, which the Spaniard mentioned. In Brazil, we saw a prime example of this, with teams all varying on strategies and Alpine managing to find themselves in second and third after a red flag that played into their hands.
Outside of Brazil, there were very few moments in 2024 that saw teams outside of the top four in any significant positions.
2025 will remain largely unchanged
The Spaniard hopes that 2025 will be as competitive as last year. But doesn’t believe the order or opportunities for teams further down the grid will change.
He admitted, “I guess it’s difficult to believe that things will change so much compared to Abu Dhabi. Let’s put it that way. The first four races, I think that things will look similar to Abu Dhabi.”
Feature Image Credit: Aston Martin F1 Team
