Fernando Alonso, a Spanish driver for the Aston Martin F1 Team, praised the team’s aggressive approach to development in the 2024 Formula 1 season. This comes as upgrades were introduced at the Japanese Grand Prix. Alonso’s move to Aston Martin last year coincided with the team’s rise to prominence, achieving six podium finishes in the first eight races. However, as the season progressed, Aston Martin fell back to fifth place in the championship, while Mercedes, Ferrari, and McLaren made improvements. Aston Martin’s Technical Director, Dan Fallows, had previously stated that the goal with the AMR24 was to establish a foundation for further development. Despite this, Alonso believes that Aston Martin must improve in all areas to move forward. He mentioned the desire for better low-speed performance, improved traction, increased downforce in high-speed corners, and addressing tire degradation. Alonso emphasized that there is no single specific area of weakness, but rather a need for improvement across the board.
Alonso, who is currently deciding whether to extend his contract with Aston Martin, has been encouraged by the team’s progress in reversing the downward trend from last season.
Aston Martin has made several modifications to the AMR24 this weekend, including changes to the sidepods and floor, a new beam wing, and other significant adjustments.
“We have been very proactive in developing the car,” he explained.
“We introduced a new part in Jeddah for the front suspension. We made adjustments to the front wing in Australia. And now, we have another package.
“So far, each race has seen us driving a different car, which is a positive sign of our ambitions for this year. We are being aggressive both on and off the track.
“Last year, we learned a valuable lesson. We started off well, but not making enough changes to the car proved painful in the second half of the season.
“This year, we hope to be stronger in the second half compared to the first. Let’s wait and see.”
However, despite being satisfied that Aston Martin has adapted to the intense competition at the front, Alonso acknowledges that their rivals are also making progress.
“I believe it’s better not to have a clear weakness in any area because it means there was a miscalculation or a lack of understanding,” he said.
“I think it’s simply a matter of increasing the downforce of the car through improvements. There are also many things in the pipeline for the coming months.
“It’s the same for everyone. We’re not racing alone.
“McLaren introduced something in Australia, and it seems to have helped as they performed well in Melbourne.
“I’ve heard that Red Bull is also bringing new parts. It’s a race off the track as well.
“At least this year, we are in that race. Last year, we weren’t even in contention.”
While the previous Aston Martin car excelled in preserving its tires, the AMR24 has been revealed as a car that is more competitive in qualifying than in race conditions.
When asked if the upgrades were aimed at addressing this issue, Alonso replied, “I believe they are connected. Increasing the downforce will also help with tire degradation.”