Fernando Alonso believes that Monza’s sacrosanct Temple of Speed has lost its thunder in Formula 1’s new era, a view compounded by Aston Martin’s miserable Italian Grand Prix weekend.
The sport’s 2026 machines are simply not reaching the towering speeds that once defined the circuit.
Alonso pointed to Barcelona and Budapest, where speeds of 350km/h and beyond were recorded, while Monza struggled to deliver anything comparable.
“It was different from what we’ve experienced so far at Monza,” commented the two-time world champion.
“We arrive here and it says we’re entering the ‘Temple of Speed’. But it’s no longer the ‘Temple of Speed’.
“In Barcelona, I think we reached 350km/h or 360km/h, and in Budapest, 355km/h. And in Monza, we were around 312km/h. So, it’s no longer the ‘Temple of Speed’.”
For Aston Martin, the weekend was even more bleak. The underpowered AMR26 could manage only 319km/h despite being equipped with Honda’s latest-spec unit, leaving Alonso and Lance Stroll struggling at the back of the field before both cars retired.
Another miserable Aston Martin weekend
Alonso’s race ended after 23 laps when a kerb strike at Turn 7 appeared to damage his car.
“Yeah, I think I got damage on the car,” he told F1 TV. “I went over the kerb at Turn 7, and something felt strange – suspension or something.
“It was difficult, same as the whole weekend.
©Aston Martin
“We were with the Cadillacs, so at least we had a little bit of fun in the race. But, yeah, a difficult weekend.”
Stroll lasted only three more laps before a hydraulics problem forced him to stop, triggering a Virtual Safety Car.
For Alonso, Monza was supposed to be a celebration of speed. Instead, it became another grim reminder of how far Aston Martin’s struggling machine remains from the front.
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