Alonso: We're very slow, too slow, no rhythm

While Stroll being uncompetitive has been the norm this season, Alonso's tribulations are a sure sign something is amiss with the Aston Martin. They clearly lost the plot with the once ultra-handy AMR23 as the Spanish veteran's seven podiums and the performance over the last couple of days testify.

'Upgrades' have flopped for the once podium contenders, and have been reduced to also-rans in Austin this weekend. And a wake-up call it is for all in Green, as Alonso is the 'cuddliest toy in the box' when things were fine as we saw in the first half of the season.

But now that times are tough, Alonso is always one to speak his mind as he did after a sorry Sprint Race Saturday for Aston Martin. With their veteran finishing down in P13 and Stroll with yet another DNF.

Speaking to DAZN at the end of the Sprint, Alonso did not mince his words: "We've been uncompetitive since FP1 and in both qualifying sessions, nothing has changed in the sprint race either. We're very slow, too slow, no rhythm.

"Zero points in the Sprint. And starting even further behind on Sunday, possibly zero points too. A painful weekend to absorb but we have to try to learn. Do maximum laps and give the team all the data possible," added Alonso.

The harsh reality for AMR is that after the first half dozen races they were Best of the Rest behind Max Verstappen's dominant Red Bull. But second in the Championship could turn to fifth today in Texas, as McLaren, on a high, is only six points adrift in the 2023 F1 Constructors Standings with five rounds remaining.

Alonso continued: "We go out to the race knowing that the chances are very low. But it is what we have to do. We'll also discuss if it is better to learn something and play the set-up and start from the pit lane. Anything that helps us.

"Something useful, because doing 56 laps just for the sake of doing them seems like a stretch. There are better weekends and there are worse weekends. This is one of the bad ones. So we have to grit our teeth and be with the team.

"Later in Mexico, with more free practice, we'll try to optimise the car better, and we believe that is one of the handicaps we had this weekend by not having laps in free practice. We believe that the car can give more of itself, but we have to get it optimised," declared Alonso, ahead of his 374th Grand Prix start.