Fernando Alonso admitted he is "exhausted" from repeatedly explaining Aston Martin's alarming lack of performance after another miserable weekend at the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix left him rooted to the back of the grid.

The 44-year-old Spaniard endured a new low in front of his home crowd, qualifying last and ending a streak of 42 consecutive races in which he had outqualified teammate Lance Stroll. Alonso will start from the rear after Aston Martin's latest struggles exposed just how far the team has fallen since Formula 1's new era began this season.

Alonso's frustration boiled over when asked whether Barcelona had revealed fresh weaknesses in the car: "No, no, no. Nothing has been exposed. We knew we had the worst car and the worst engine, and we've been very clear in every race so far that we have to work."

The double F1 world champion pointed to a catalogue of problems that have plagued Aston Martin throughout 2026, including poor energy deployment, gearbox issues and a lack of aerodynamic performance.

Alonso suggested there were no surprises in Aston Martin's lack of pace because the team's weaknesses have been evident since pre-season testing: "It's exhausting to explain every weekend the same thing," he said after another difficult qualifying session.

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The Spaniard also revealed continuing gearbox integration problems that have left the car difficult and unpredictable to drive: "In some corners it felt like pulling a handbrake, complete rear locking with both rear wheels fully locked."

In the race, Stroll parked it on lap five with a gearbox issue, while the #14 car of Alonso also came to a halt with a battery issue on lap 37.

Those problems are just the latest setback in a season that has already seen Aston Martin battle severe vibration problems, reliability concerns and power unit troubles linked to its new Honda partnership.

Earlier this year Alonso revealed vibrations were so severe during races that he lost feeling in his hands and feet, while Adrian Newey warned of serious technical concerns during the opening rounds.

The situation is particularly disappointing given the anticipation surrounding Aston Martin's ambitious 2026 project, which combined Honda's factory power unit programme with Newey's arrival as managing technical partner. Instead, the Silverstone-based squad has spent much of the season fighting at the back.

How much longer?

Alonso's comments come during what could be his final Formula 1 appearance at Barcelona, with the Spanish Grand Prix moving to Madrid from 2027 and his Aston Martin contract expiring at the end of the current campaign.

Despite the mounting frustrations, Alonso has continued to support the long-term project and remains hopeful that upgrades planned for later in the season can improve Aston Martin's fortunes. However, there is little sign of an immediate breakthrough.

Pedro de la Rosa admitted recently there is "no quick fix" for the team's problems, while Alonso's latest remarks underline just how difficult the current situation has become.

For now, the two-time world champion is left answering the same questions every weekend as Aston Martin searches for answers of its own. With Barcelona delivering another painful reality check, patience is clearly wearing thin.