Aston Martin driver Fernando Alonso hopes his team are finally getting on top of the developmental weaknesses it encountered last season.
The team was unable to sustain the strong start it enjoyed to the 2023 season, when Alonso took six podium finishes from the first eight races. They lost ground to their rivals from then on and Alonso scored just one top three finish in the final nine rounds.After the first nine rounds of 2024, Aston martin lie fifth in the constructors’ championship with over 100 points less than this stage last season. They enjoyed their best result of the season so far in the last round in Canada, but Alonso says that doesn’t guarantee they will be as competitive over the coming rounds.
“Canada is a very unique track with only long straights and heavy braking, very short corners as well,” he explained.
“I think Canada was good for us, but I think we have to wait two or three different circuits to really have an outcome of our understanding of the packages. So let’s wait and see. I hope so.”
As Aston Martin have struggled to keep up in the development race compared to their rivals ahead, Alonso says the team have a better understanding of how sensitive the current generation of ground effect cars are to changing or modifying parts.
“These cars, when you put more and more downforce [on], they become a little bit more critical in some situations,” Alonso said.
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“You need to get used to that or just mitigate a little bit with set-up changes or other things, better understanding of the upgrades that maybe you bring to one race and they need a little bit more time to really adapt [to] that new aero performance to a different circuit or different set-ups.”
The variation between race weekends has also made it hard for Aston Martin to fully understand the changes to their car, said Alonso. “You hit maybe a weekend with a sprint format, so then you have only FP1, there is no time, so you are always a little bit running behind the upgrades.
“When you start understanding and maximising that package, another new package is coming. So you reset things. That’s one of the difficulties that we faced last year already with the ‘23 car, we started to face this year on the ‘24 [car].
“But I think, as I said after Imola, there is a very clear picture, black-and-white. So finally, I think we have a good plan ahead.”
Asked if he feels Aston Martin could be stronger in dry conditions this weekend in Barcelona, Alonso said he would feel more confident about their performance if it was to rain.
“I think every race has been a kind of a surprise, sometimes for good, sometimes for bad,” he said. “So we have to wait and see.
“Canada was one of the best weekends for us, a little bit unexpected after two bad ones in Imola and Monaco. So I think we have to wait and see the free practice, let’s put it that way. I think we prefer wet Sunday at the moment because we are not totally sure about the performance in the dry.”
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2024 Spanish Grand Prix
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An Sionnach
22nd June 2024, 9:18
The rain in Spain would prevent a DRS train.
Nick T.
22nd June 2024, 20:30
We can only dream. There’s 66% chance of rain tomorrow, but I believe it’s for the morning. So, the track would be pretty dry by the time of the race. Even just the track being green if the rain is enough to wash off the rubber, however, would be enough to make the race more exciting than it would be otherwise, but not as good as rain.
Damon (@damon)
22nd June 2024, 11:20
I would like the 2023 graph here as well, to see the continuous decrease in Aston Martin’s competitiveness.
Dave
22nd June 2024, 21:42
I’m beginning to think AM not only haven’t progressed – they have lost their way completely and will be at best 5th in the WCC.
To be beaten by both Alpines in qualy proves they have hit rock bottom. A Mercedes engine loses out to a team that is
actually considering changing to another engine supplier because their own isn’t up to snuff.
So what could have happened to cause AM’s regression? They have a Mercedes engine and although Merc keeps the best for themselves, McLaren are doing quite well with a lower spec version so the engine the problem.
It could be argued it’s the aero that is causing AM’s demise. But how could Fallows get it so wrong? After all, he is well respected and in fact RBR tried to keep him from leaving despite having Newey. But maybe Fallows isn’t as good as advertised – James Key was another one of Newey’s students who went to McLaren to do magic but lasted only a year or two before he was fired. Maybe Fallows is the problem.
Another reason, and it could be a reach, is AM changed the characteristics for Lance’s sake. After all, his father owns the team. When Alonso signed with AM, Krack proclaimed their first order of business was to build a car that suited ALO – supposedly likes some over steer and also needs to “feel” his front tires or he is lost as he has stated in the past.
Evidently AM did just that and ALO started off last year with a bang and had 8 podiums over the course of the year, but most of them in the first half of the season. In contrast, Lance was getting embarrassed by ALO in qualy and in the races and any chance of AM finishing 3rd in the WCC last year was gone because of that.
To see ALO struggle so much with handling is baffling. I’m sure he will get it right but I don’t understand how they can be so far off the mark. If they are indeed mucking up the design for junior’s sake they may ask themselves if it’s better to have ALO and STR more evenly matched (think VET and junior years together) being back markers or keeping ALO happy and at least getting more WDC points and money.
I hope that is not what is happening but if it isn’t, heads need to roll and Lance’s won’t be one of them.
Esploratore (@esploratore1)
23rd June 2024, 3:12
Mercedes can NOT keep the best for themselves, they’re obligated to give the same power unit to their customers, there’s been a rule change a few years ago.
Dave
23rd June 2024, 4:02
Maybe I stated it wrong. Though the engines may be the same, the manufacturer is always a step ahead as far as mapping, etc. There is definitely a slight advantage.