Fernando Alonso grudgingly admits Aston Martin is only the fifth-fastest team in F1
Fernando Alonso is worried about the ever decreasing pace of Aston Martin in comparison to rivals.
Fernando Alonso (Credits: The Mirror)
Fernando Alonso and Aston Martin shocked the F1 paddock early on during the 2023 campaign by showing a solid pace. The outfit’s start was so impressive that Alonso managed six podium finishes in the first eight races of the season. However, as the season has rolled on, the Alonso hype train has run out of steam.
Fernando Alonso was in high spirits during the initial phase of the ongoing season. Still, looking at the recent performance output of the AMR23, he has grudgingly accepted that his team is currently the fifth fastest among the F1 teams. He is quite disappointed with how Aston Martin has moved backward on the grid.
The former 2-time F1 World Champion was asked to dwell on Aston Martin’s lacking pace in Hungary compared to rival teams, and while talking about the same, he told Autosport, “Yeah, I think so. “I think we weren’t quick enough to challenge anyone in front, and we didn’t have any threats behind. So three points, ninth and 10th, maximum today.”
“I think the last two races we are struggling a little bit. I think in Silverstone the safety car helped us in a way to finish seventh, which was a little bit better than our pace. In Silverstone and today, ninth probably is our pace. So yeah, behind the Mercedes, Red Bull, Ferrari and McLaren, which is more or less what we saw in qualifying, and what we saw in the race,” he added.
Fernando Alonso’s take on whether Aston Martin is losing out in the development race
While Fernando Alonso has accepted that Aston Martin is currently behind the lights of Ferrari, Mercedes, and Aston Martin, he also believes that one of the factors behind the Silverstone-based team’s sluggish performances could be related to the development of the AMR23. While talking about it, he said, “I mean, every race we would love to understand, and we have many questions, but we never know exactly what is the cause of it.”
Alonso is concerned as to what is hindering Aston Martin’s 2023 progress, and it is quite understandable, considering the Spaniard is currently third in the Drivers Championship. He does not want to lose out on the place, but the way things are going, it is very likely that Lewis Hamilton could snatch the position away from him in Spa.
The Grand Prix at the Spa-Francorchamps F1 Circuit is the last event before the start of the summer break, and Fernando Alonso is going to be desperate to put in a strong performance. Considering everything, would the Spaniard be able to keep hold of third place in the Championship on the coming mega weekend?
In case you missed it:
- Ferrari admits they made ‘too many mistakes’ at the Hungarian GP
- Aston Martin admits the DISAPPOINTING Hungarian GP was ‘a reality check’
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