Fernando Alonso voiced serious concerns about Aston Martin's persistent "random downshifts" ahead of the Monaco Grand Prix, fearing they could lead to crashes on the unforgiving street circuit. This gearbox-related issue, part of their wider power unit setup since switching to Honda, severely hampered Alonso in Miami qualifying, leaving him 1.2s off Q2. Alonso emphasized that Monaco is no place for unpredictable rear locking or unexpected engine pushes, stating drivers become "passengers" in such moments, risking looking "stupid" after hitting a wall. Teammate Lance Stroll confirmed the problem, noting they still lose gear sync under 40km/h, especially at corners like Loews hairpin, costing crucial lap time. Despite some progress in Canada, Alonso is not optimistic about scoring points in Monaco, believing the top five teams are too far ahead. Monaco will ultimately serve as a critical test for Aston Martin to prove they've made real strides in resolving this fundamental reliability flaw.

Read the full story at Motorsport.com