Alonso's Chinese GP ends in brake fire and injury setback

Double World Champion struggles with mechanical failure and neck injury

Fernando Alonso's challenging start to the 2025 Formula 1 season continued in China, with a premature retirement highlighting the Aston Martin team's ongoing reliability concerns.

The double World Champion battled both mechanical issues and a nagging neck injury throughout the weekend.

Mechanical misfortune strikes again

Starting 13th on the grid, Alonso's hopes quickly evaporated when his AMR25 developed a critical brake fire early in the race.

The Spaniard was forced to retire, marking his second DNF of the season and leaving him without a single point in the Drivers' Championship.

"The rear brakes were very hot from the first lap,"

Alonso explained.

"On the last lap before retiring, I hit the brakes into Turn 1 and the pedal went all the way down with no braking power."

The situation could have been far more catastrophic. Alonso acknowledged the potential for a massive incident, noting he was fortunate the brake failure occurred in a slower corner.

"If it had happened in the Turn 14 braking zone, I would have taken out five or six cars," he admitted.

Physical challenges mount

Adding to his racing woes, Alonso revealed he was dealing with a pinched nerve affecting his neck. He appeared on the grid wearing neck protection, a testament to his ongoing physical struggle.

"I'm okay,"

he said, downplaying the injury.

"I was wearing some neck protection because I've had a pinched nerve or something these past few days."

This is not unprecedented for the veteran driver. Throughout his career, Alonso has demonstrated remarkable resilience, racing through various injuries.

In 2016, he competed with broken ribs and a lung injury, while in 2021, he returned to racing after jaw surgery following a cycling crash.

Looking ahead to Japan

Despite the setback, Alonso remains characteristically optimistic.

"Now we need to understand what happened and next is a triple-header,"

he said.

"Hopefully, I can see the chequered flag for the first time this year and we can turn things around in Japan."

The upcoming Japanese Grand Prix presents a critical opportunity for Alonso to reset and potentially salvage his early-season campaign.

With his trademark determination, he continues to push forward, injury and mechanical issues notwithstanding.