“We have to keep our feet on the ground,” Aston Martin dismisses any possibility of Fernando Alonso winning a championship with them

Aston Martin has been a surprise contender at the front of the track for podiums this season. This comes as a shock to several, as the team managed a paltry seventh-place finish in the Constructor’s standings in 2022. Fernando Alonso has been their talisman and has consistently extracted maximum speed from the car. His unforeseen, brilliant results have sparked title hopes among fans.

When questioned on Alonso’s title possibilities, team principal Mike Krack was quick to downplay them by stating to Motorsport.es, “I would be very happy if we could give him the car to win that third title, but I think we have to keep our feet a little more on the ground when it comes to talking about world championships.”. He is clearly mindful of the gap between themselves and the current champions Red Bull.

Krack also proceeded to highlight that despite the significant leap in performance, they must keep themselves levelled while still being appreciative of their brilliant improvement, standing ahead of Mercedes and Ferrari. This helps them keep their expectations consistent with their positive results and strive to maintain this.

Related: Aston Martin plans to ditch Mercedes for Honda: Reports

Fernando Alonso is back to his best at Aston Martin

Spaniard Fernando Alonso is renowned for breaking Michael Schumacher’s dominance, along with his composure behind the wheel. The two-time world champion spent stints at McLaren and Ferrari, before eventually retiring in 2018. However, he made a comeback to the sport in 2021, with French outlet Alpine, formerly Renault. He has had his ups and downs, but things finally seem to be looking optimistic for him.

Alonso spent a tough stint at Alpine, where the car he was driving was set to be average at most. He struggled to achieve results that met his standard throughout his time there and also shared tensions with his teammate Esteban Ocon. In 2021, he scored 81 points and finished 10^th in the championship, and secured no podiums. 2022 was no kinder to the Spaniard, where he once again scored an identical 81 points, finishing 9^th in the championship. His hopes to be on the podium again grew slim.

He announced his shock move to Aston Martin in mid-2022, which was perceived as going backward, and puzzled the paddock. It seemed counterproductive that he shifted from a team fighting for 4^th in the Constructors’ championship to one which barely secured 7^th. However, he has begun to reap the benefits, despite the seeds of doubt that were sown. Alonso looks rapid in the newly improved Aston Martin and has secured 3 consecutive podiums. He also seems to be better than the likes of Mercedes and Ferrari but is miles off leaders Red Bull, who stand to be the only ones who quash his title hopes.

Despite his growing age, the veteran is in stellar physical condition, which Krack didn’t fail to mention. He praised Alonso’s speed, desire to compete, and fitness. At 41, Alonso looks to be at his best level, but competing with the likes of Red Bull and the formidable champion Max Verstappen seems to be a bleak hope and a long shot.

Regardless of how bright or dim his championship hopes are, Alonso has been critical in Aston Martin’s resurgence this year, plummeting them to the top of the grid to contend with the likes of Mercedes and Ferrari. His contributions have placed the British team second in the standings, and his crucial contributions to development will undoubtedly assist the team in shaping future machinery that may one day claim the world title.

In case you missed it:

• Audi gives first look at their Formula One project in Shanghai, China
• “I would put my money on it,” Former F1 driver believes Max Verstappen could win the championship in the same Ferrari Charles Leclerc is struggling 

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