Fernando Alonso, a driver for the Aston Martin F1 Team, is thrilled about the possibility of securing Aston Martin’s first victory in Formula 1. However, he emphasizes the importance of consistently achieving podium finishes in 2024.
Alonso joined Aston Martin last year, coinciding with the team’s emergence as a serious contender at the front of the grid. During the first eight races, he managed to secure six podium finishes. Despite initially challenging Red Bull, Aston Martin struggled to maintain their competitiveness throughout the season due to intense development.
The Silverstone-based team has made significant changes to their AMR24 car in an effort to combat the stagnation they experienced in the previous season. They have described the new car as a “strong evolution” from its predecessor.
Alonso is content with the modifications made by Aston Martin, but acknowledges that the true progress of the team will only be evident on the track. He mentioned that he had already driven the car on the simulator a few weeks ago, but the real test will come during the upcoming track sessions, starting with Bahrain.
The Spanish driver believes that the changes made to address weaknesses and inconsistencies from the previous year will be beneficial. He is cautiously optimistic about the team’s prospects and is looking forward to seeing how the car performs on the track.
Alonso stated at the conclusion of the previous season that Aston Martin must make efforts to decrease the excessive drag levels that left it susceptible on the straight stretches during 2023.
The Spanish driver has reiterated that this is an area of concern that he hopes has been addressed, while also acknowledging that the team’s high-speed performance is a weakness compared to its closest rivals.
“In terms of the car, I would really like to have a bit more downforce, especially in the high-speed corners; it was probably a weak point last year that we have tried to improve in this year’s car,” he explained.
“Our top speed was not the best last year, we were always struggling on the straights, and we were consistently at the bottom of the speed charts, so we are aiming to be more efficient this year and a bit faster on the straight stretches.
“There are a couple of aspects that I would like to see in the car when we start winter testing in Bahrain, which will hopefully benefit us on Sundays, during the race weekends.”
Despite achieving eight podium finishes, including three second places, Alonso was unable to secure his first Formula 1 victory since May 2013 due to the dominance of Red Bull last season.
While Aston Martin Technical Director Dan Fallows believes that Red Bull can be beaten, Alonso has advised the team to prioritize consistency.
When asked about Fallows’ comments, Alonso responded, “Well, it’s good to hear him say that. It puts a smile on my face. I haven’t spoken to Dan in a few weeks now.
“But yes, I think we have to be optimistic at this stage of the season. We saw last year that Ferrari finished strongly and achieved a few pole positions in the latter part of the year. McLaren also made significant progress during the season and came close to challenging Red Bull in a few races. So, let’s see what happens.
“I think our first goal is to consistently score points and fight for podium finishes, as we did last year. And if we are in that position, it would be wonderful to secure Aston Martin’s first victory in green, and hopefully I can be behind the wheel when that happens.
“But we have to take it step by step. It’s going to be very close. There are four or five teams within two or three-tenths of a second this year, I believe. So, that puts you within two-tenths of a second, either fighting for podiums or struggling to make it into the top 10. We need to remain highly focused on that.”
According to the Source motorsportweek.com