Aston Martin, specifically Fernando Alonso, had an impressive start to the 2023 season. In the previous year, Alonso secured six podiums in the first six races, including a third place in Australia. Although the first two races of this year were not as memorable, there is hope for a podium in the AMR24 this weekend, as indicated by Alonso’s performance in FP2 in Melbourne.
After finishing the first day at Albert Park in fifth place on the timing sheets, Alonso expressed cautious optimism. He acknowledged the satisfaction of being at the top of the timing sheet, but emphasized the need not to draw conclusions from Free Practice. There are still many variables to consider, especially at Albert Park, where track conditions change significantly. Alonso had a minor incident during FP1, when he went through the gravel at Turn 10, requiring a floor change. Despite this setback, FP2 went well, allowing the team to complete their planned program. The collected data will be analyzed to improve their chances in Qualifying. Alonso’s 381st Grand Prix start is scheduled for Sunday.
In a rare occurrence, Lance Stroll outperformed his experienced teammate in a session, finishing the day in fourth place. Stroll was pleased with the performance and balance of the car. The team had a productive day, gathering valuable data. Stroll highlighted the good speed on a single lap this season, but remained grounded as Free Practices do not reveal the true performance of other teams. However, it was a positive start to the weekend, and Stroll was looking forward to Qualifying.
Stroll has the goal of having a series of successful races, accumulating significant points. Although he faces difficulties with a bad car, his track record shows that he can be a reliable competitor with a competitive car, as demonstrated by his three podiums. In the previous year’s Australian GP, Max Verstappen secured the victory for Red Bull, followed by Lewis Hamilton in second place for Mercedes, and Alonso in third place.
