F1 champion Fernando Alonso swaps out Aston Martin after pre-season testing disaster

Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin, Bahrain, 2026 — Photo: © IMAGO

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Fernando Alonso swaps out Aston Martin after F1 testing disaster

Fernando Alonso in a Toyota Yaris?!

Sam Cook Digital Journalist

Sports Journalist who has been covering motorsport since 2023

Sunday 22 February 2026 22:53 Updated: 10:29

Two-time F1 world champion Fernando Alonso seems to be fed up of driving Aston Martins.

And who could blame him? After only managing to complete 60 laps in the AMR26 during the Barcelona shakedown in January, Alonso struggled with issues with his new machine all week-long this week at the Bahrain International Circuit.

The team completed the least amount of laps during pre-season testing as a whole in 2026, even fewer than new team Cadillac, as their new power unit partnership with Honda got off to the worst possible start.

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Now, Alonso has been spotted driving around the streets of Monaco, and he was not driving any of the Aston Martin sportscars he owns, including the sleek Valkyrie or the Valiant.

In fact, the Spaniard was not driving either of his Mercedes or Ferrari supercars, despite having been seen behind the wheel of both in the principality in recent months.

Instead, Alonso opted for a modest Toyota Yaris. Yes, you heard that right.

In a video circling on social media, Alonso and his partner and F1 journalist Melissa Jimenez could be seen taking a drive in Monaco, with Jimenez behind the wheel at first, before the two-time world champion took over in a later clip.

Toyota Yaris vs Aston Martin Valkyrie- the ultimate choice

A brand new Toyota Yaris on the Toyota website is listed at a cool £24,000, while the Aston Martin Valkyrie - designed by F1 design genius Adrian Newey - is worth £2.5million, while the Spider version is closer to £3.5million.

The Yaris has a top speed of 108mph, while the Valkyrie is listed as having a top speed of 220mph, over double the Yaris but arguably not quite so suitable when it comes to Monaco's roads away from the grand prix each spring.

Modern Yaris' have a brake horsepower (bhp) of around 120, while the Valkyrie's bhp is sat at a remarkable 1140.

Alonso may boast a plethora of some of the best sportscars that the most legendary car manufacturers have to offer, but he's proving that nobody is too good for a trusty hatchback.

F1 Aston Martin Fernando Alonso