Fernando Alonso, driver for the Aston Martin F1 team, revealed that the team has future plans in progress, recognizing the need to improve the basic speed of their Formula 1 car for the 2024 season. Currently, Aston Martin occupies the same position in the Constructors’ Championship as it did last year, sitting in fifth place behind Red Bull, Ferrari, McLaren, and Mercedes. Alonso had an exceptional performance in Japan, securing fifth place on the starting grid and finishing in sixth place, which he considers one of the top five performances of his Formula 1 career. Despite overtaking both Mercedes and McLaren, Alonso stated that the team’s updates for the Suzuka race did not result in a higher position. However, he hinted that Aston Martin has more updates planned for future races to avoid repeating last season’s development setback. When asked about the basis for the team’s improvement, Alonso responded: “Let’s wait and see. I believe there are some things in progress to improve the car. This first set of updates is just the starting point for what we will introduce later in the season, so we still have many aspects to analyze. However, we have had exceptional performances on Sundays, maximizing our points, even more than we normally deserve.” Alonso praised Aston Martin’s operational improvements, especially their efficient pit stops, which allowed him to only lose one position to Charles Leclerc, who made a single pit stop. He expressed curiosity about the time it took for the stop, as it seemed to be the fastest he had ever experienced. Alonso emphasized that, although the team has progressed in certain areas, their fundamental speed is still not at the desired level, and that is where their focus needs to be directed.
In response to the question about the reasons behind his opinion on the current classification, Alonso subtly stated: “I just drive the car on the track, that’s all.”
The next Formula 1 race will take the teams back to Asia, as the Chinese Grand Prix returns after a five-year absence. Additionally, there is the possibility of a Sprint weekend to deal with.
Alonso, a two-time winner in Shanghai in 2005 and 2013, believes that the alternative format will create opportunities that Aston Martin should take advantage of.
“I believe that in situations where we have a small disadvantage in terms of pace, mixed conditions or Sprint weekends may offer us some additional chances,” he stated in advance.
“All these factors always bring something extra, but it will be challenging. I expect Ferrari to be very fast in China, given the long corners and front-end nature of the circuit, similar to Australia. However, Red Bull will also be strong. We have a very powerful DRS, which can be useful on the long straight of China, so let’s wait and see.”
