Fernando Alonso, a member of the Aston Martin F1 Team, expressed that their Formula 1 car for the 2024 season is distinct from the one used during pre-season testing. This statement came after he secured the sixth position in qualifying for the Bahrain Grand Prix. Alonso acknowledged that their position last year was stronger but felt optimistic after performing well in the second practice session. He acknowledged that Aston Martin needs to catch up with their competitors in order to replicate their podium finish from the previous season’s opener. Despite this, Alonso managed to qualify in sixth place, trailing Max Verstappen, the pole sitter, by three-tenths of a second. He outperformed Lewis Hamilton, the McLarens, and Sergio Perez. Alonso expressed his delight with the result and considered it a pleasant surprise, especially since there were doubts about their one-lap pace after winter testing. He mentioned that the car felt different during free practice, but they approached qualifying with caution. However, they were pleasantly surprised to find themselves competitive and in the mix with Ferrari, ahead of Hamilton and alongside the McLarens. Alonso attributed the improvements to set-up changes made to the AMR24, which helped address the inconsistencies they encountered during winter testing. He explained that the changes they made over the weekend aligned with their expectations and provided a higher level of confidence in the car, allowing them to extract its maximum potential.
However, a successful qualifying session is all well and good, but the points are distributed on the day of the race and Alonso anticipates a highly competitive battle.
Once again, reflecting on the testing period, the Spanish driver didn’t feel particularly confident during longer runs. As a result, he is taking a cautious approach and waiting to see if the pace demonstrated on Friday will carry over to Saturday.
“I believe we had some average performances during the winter and even yesterday, we didn’t appear to be particularly impressive. However, let’s wait and see what happens tomorrow,” Alonso added.
“I anticipate a fiercely contested race. Competing within a group of cars is never an easy task to handle, especially when it comes to managing tires and other factors.
“This is an unexpectedly fantastic start for us. We gained valuable knowledge as a team last year on how to become a strong contender.
“If we aspire to challenge teams like Ferrari and Mercedes, we must elevate our level of development. Throughout the season, we began with a solid foundation for our car, but we remained stagnant for numerous races. This year, we have implemented a new approach to car design and upgrades, and starting off on a high note fills me with great optimism for the rest of the season.”