Fernando Alonso’s Bubble-Kicking Display Offers Relief From Aston Martin’s Dutch GP Problems

Fernando Alonso found something he could control during a difficult Dutch Grand Prix weekend: the bubbles drifting across Formula 1’s fan stage. In an official F1 video on X, the Aston Martin driver kicks one bubble and swats another without changing his expression. The clip arrived after Aston Martin’s upgrade package was obscured by several problems in Sprint Qualifying.

Other drivers in the video follow the bubbles with their hands or wait for one to reach them. Alonso uses his feet first. After landing a kick, he returns to his place and watches for the next one.

Fernando



#F1#DutchGPpic.twitter.com/ncaqTZ8PZa

— Formula 1 (@F1) August 22, 2026

His straight face is what makes the sequence work. Alonso does not turn toward the camera or try to sell the punchline. F1 adds a frame of bubble emojis around his name and a laughing emoji to the post, but his restrained reaction carries the clip. It is the type of dry, unforced humor that regularly makes his appearances away from the car more memorable.

Alonso’s Dutch GP Weekend Was Less Amusing

Friday offered little reason to laugh. Fernando Alonso finished the only practice session in 12th, suggesting Aston Martin’s revised Honda power unit and aerodynamic parts had moved the AMR26 forward. Sprint Qualifying then left the team without a representative lap.

Alonso recorded a 1:16.014 and finished 22nd, 4.447 seconds behind George Russell’s pole time. Formula 1 reported that the Straight-Line Mode on Alonso’s rear wing malfunctioned. Drivability problems made the car difficult to stop, while a lockup sent him through the gravel. He continued on flat-spotted tires with possible floor damage.

May 23, 2026; Montreal, Quebec, CANADA; Aston Martin driver Fernando Alonso (14) during the sprint race of the Lenovo Grand Prix Du Canada at Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve. Mandatory Credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images Credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect (Reuters)

The result supported Alonso’s cautious view before the weekend. He had said that confirming Honda’s upgraded engine worked as expected mattered more than its immediate lap-time gain. The technical failures prevented Aston Martin from completing that comparison cleanly.

A suspension setup change was then made before the Sprint. Because the car remained under parc fermé conditions, the FIA ordered Alonso to start from the pit lane. He recovered to 18th but finished one position behind teammate Lance Stroll, according to the official Sprint classification.

Dry Humor Cuts Through a Bad Weekend

F1 posted the bubble clip before Saturday’s Grand Prix qualifying. It did not soften Aston Martin’s technical problems or change Alonso’s result. It gave fans a short look at the personality behind a frustrating weekend.

Alonso often gets the largest reaction by appearing not to seek one. He treated the bubbles seriously, then calmly returned to his position. Aston Martin still has more difficult targets: fixing the AMR26’s drivability and proving its new parts work under competitive conditions.

Other drivers like Carlos Sainz, Liam Lawson, Max Verstappen and Lance Stroll were seen participating in the game. It is a mere coincidence that these drivers are also having a tough season along with the 45-year-old driver.