Fernando Alonso will start the Italian Grand Prix from the pitlane after Aston Martin and Honda made a late engine intervention. The move follows a technical failure during qualifying and wipes out any grid advantage from rivals' penalties.
Fernando Alonso's plans for the Italian Grand Prix took a hit after a last-minute engine problem forced Aston Martin and Honda to work on his car following qualifying. Instead of starting from his original grid spot, Alonso will now begin the race from the pitlane, losing any benefit from other drivers' penalties and facing a tough challenge at Monza.
The issue surfaced during Saturday's qualifying session, when a malfunction was detected in the power unit. Aston Martin and Honda's technical staff decided the engine needed immediate attention. Because the car was worked on under parc fermé conditions, Alonso was automatically moved to a pitlane start. According to PlanetF1, the team found an anomaly in the power unit data during Q1, which led to overnight repairs and cost Alonso his grid position.
Stewards' notes confirmed that Aston Martin replaced the MGU-K, energy store, and control electronics on Alonso's car, exceeding the permitted component limits for the 2026 season.
Alonso had been set to start 18th, helped by grid penalties for several rivals. That chance disappeared as soon as the engine issue appeared, forcing the team to focus on reliability instead of grid position. The timing—just hours before the race—shows how quickly Formula 1 weekends can change. Alonso said the "engine did not start," which stopped him from making a second qualifying run and may have cost him a better starting spot, according to several motorsport outlets.
Monza's long straights and tight layout make overtaking difficult, so starting from the pitlane means Alonso will have to work his way through the entire field. The setback is a blow for both Alonso and Aston Martin, who had hoped to take advantage of the shuffled grid. PlanetF1 also noted that Liam Lawson will start from the pitlane for similar reasons, as several teams faced technical problems at this year's Italian Grand Prix.
Honda's HRC representative Shintaro Orihara clarified that the Monza power unit modifications were aimed at improving drivability based on telemetry analysis and driver feedback, rather than seeking outright performance gains. The Italian Grand Prix weekend saw multiple teams forced into late technical changes, with Monza's long straights and limited overtaking opportunities amplifying the consequences of any reliability issues.
Technical failures and last-minute changes are nothing new in Formula 1. Earlier in the weekend, Pierre Gasly surprised many by taking pole position at Monza after a similar run of unexpected events. The Italian Grand Prix continues to deliver surprises, keeping teams and fans guessing throughout the weekend.
For Alonso, starting from the pitlane is a tough reminder of how quickly things can go wrong in Formula 1. Aston Martin and Honda acted quickly to fix the engine, but the cost is clear. In a sport where every position matters, setbacks like this can have lasting effects for both driver and team. Even the most experienced drivers are at the mercy of reliability, and Monza has once again shown how unpredictable the sport can be.
