How much longer will Fernando Alonso tolerate Aston Martin’s hopeless Formula 1 cause?

The double World Champion remains stranded near the back of the grid in the dreadful AMR26. For a driver of Alonso’s experience, achievements and enduring competitiveness, the situation must be brutally painful. Deja vu of pushing a McLaren at Hungaroring, an image etched in Formula 1 folklore.

Yet the Spaniard continues to work with the team rather than publicly turning against it. The question is how much longer he can tolerate such a hopeless position before deciding enough is enough.

Aston Martin hope the Hungarian Grand Prix will provide the first glimpse of recovery. A radical upgrade is expected at the Hungaroring, with speculation suggesting the changes could be extensive enough for the car to be described as an AMR26B.

Some reports have even suggested a heavily revised chassis. Whatever arrives in Budapest, Aston Martin desperately need it to deliver an immediate and measurable improvement. Alonso has confirmed he will decide over the coming months whether he wants to continue racing in Formula 1.

Former F1 driver Jolyon Palmer believes Aston Martin will allow the 44-year-old to make that decision himself: “I think it fundamentally will depend on what happens with Fernando. I think he's the man that controls what he wants to do.

"I don't think the team will get rid of him. I think he's still operating at a good level. He seems to actually have his arm round the guys on the team as well right now, trying to keep things on the recovery trail," he told Lottoland media team.

Alonso has rarely appeared so accepting of an underperforming project. During previous difficult spells, his frustration often became increasingly visible as results failed to arrive.

Palmer added: “You could see why he'd be unbelievably frustrated and disappointed with where things are at. This has been such a disastrous season for Aston Martin. But I've not seen Fernando like this really before, where he's been just actually so invested in the team and knows this is a long-term project, even if he's getting on.”

That investment may also explain why Alonso is unlikely to walk away before discovering whether Aston Martin’s recovery plan can finally produce results.

Palmer continued: “So, I guess he'll probably want to; if he's going to be driving this car that is so terrible at the moment, he'll want to get some rewards for it later on. And I don't think that'll be this year. So then it's up to him, he's had a kid. Whether that's enough to persuade him to stay at home. I doubt it for Fernando.”

Adrian Newey’s presence remains central to Aston Martin’s hopes of keeping Alonso interested, motivated and convinced that success is still possible.

The legendary designer has built numerous title-winning cars and regularly defeated Alonso during the Spaniard’s finest seasons. Palmer believes that history has created considerable mutual respect between them: "You'd be with quite a lot of trepidation knowing you've got a car like that and you've got a driver like Fernando, because they haven't always gone too well.

"Terrible car, poor reliability, bad engine and Fernando Alonso. But the fact that he's actually, I think, accepted how bad it was and is working with the team is huge. And then having that experience, I think probably having Adrian on board makes a huge difference to him," ventured Palmer.

Aston Martin’s current car has fallen far below expectations, despite the technical resources and ambition surrounding the organisation. Palmer believes Alonso and Newey may have reached an understanding when the scale of the team’s difficulties became clear.

“I think they have such a great mutual respect that they would have sat down in Bahrain when they realised quite how miserable the season was going to be and just said, Look, right, I'm sorry, this is not what we wanted, but we have to work together if we want this to work," concluded Palmer.

Hungary will therefore be far more than another race weekend for Aston Martin. It could represent the first genuine test of whether Newey’s influence can rescue the project. Alonso has endured the suffering. Now Aston Martin must finally give him a reason to believe the wait will be worthwhile.