Fernando Alonso was third in the world championship as recently as last month’s Italian GP, but after a string of difficult weekends, he is now fifth, trailed by Charles Leclerc, Lando Norris, and George Russell. Meanwhile, Aston Martin has dropped to fifth place in the constructors’ championship but is no longer threatened from behind after being surpassed by McLaren. Alonso had another dismal weekend in Mexico, starting 13th and then sliding back due to probable floor damage after Sergio Perez’s first corner collision. The team ultimately chose to retire the vehicle.

Following a spec change, his teammate Lance Stroll began from the pitlane and was let through by the struggling Alonso before retiring after a late collision with Valtteri Bottas. The Spaniard acknowledges that his downward spiral in the championship table will continue. Honestly, we are not fighting for anything, Alonso said when asked by Motorsport.com about the next race in Brazil.

We will learn, even if we have to start from the pitlane, and you know that is more useful than just spending the weekend. In the constructors’ championship, we are locked in the position we are in. In the driver’s championship, we will lose a couple of places. But I mean, it is incredible that we are in front of Ferraris, or George or Lando or whatever, but we will lose those positions. They have a very fast car. And yet, let’s see what we can do, the 42-year-old driver added.

We are working as much as we can. It’s not that we are just happy with the situation. It’s not the position we wish we were, but at the same time, we are working very hard to reverse the situation, he stated. And sometimes you learn more from the difficulties than from the celebrations. So right now, we have a difficult time. And we are trying to do as many tests as possible, giving as much feedback as possible to the factory in Silverstone. And hopefully, as I said, finish on a high, and not on a low, Alonso said.

Asked if things can improve within this season, the Spaniard replied that he thinks so, we still need to go to three different places, three different circuits, which will give us more data again on the car. It depends on what we call finish on a high. If we think that we will fight for podiums or something like that? I don’t think so. But to finish in a competitive way, I think we still have the possibility, he concluded.