“We cannot take it for granted,” Fernando Alonso wants to keep pushing Aston Martin beyond the reach of Mercedes and Ferrari

Fernando Alonso is third in the F1 championship standings after the Azerbaijan GP.

“We cannot take it for granted,” Fernando Alonso wants to keep pushing Aston Martin beyond the reach of Mercedes and Ferrari

Fernando Alonso. Image via Harper's Bazaar Arabia.

After ten years, Fernando Alonso has achieved three consecutive podium finishes. This is a memorable moment for him and Aston Martin and it is also the team’s most successful start to a Formula 1 season. Alonso stayed patient and motivated all these years. In 2022, he announced his exit from Alpine in a dramatic manner. Team principal Otmar Szafnauer was unaware that the Spaniard had talks with Aston Martin.

However, it all worked out in Alonso’s favor. The world champion is having the time of his life with his new team. When Alonso signed his two-year contract with Aston Martin, he thought they would fight for podiums in 2024. But little did he know that he would get three podium finishes in the first three rounds. The fourth round, the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, was not terrible either. Alonso finished fourth behind the Red Bull duo and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc. 

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The double world champion reflected on his season so far. He stated, “These are happy days for us, but we can’t take it for granted that it will be like this all year round. You have to press in all the races, those of the circuits and those of the factory, where you also run.” Alonso is cautious of his rivals. He does not want to take anything for granted. 

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Fernando Alonso surprised AMR23 challenges Ferrari and Mercedes

Fernando Alonso. Image via PlanetF1.
Fernando Alonso. Image via PlanetF1.

Alonso added, “It’s going extremely well, surprisingly well, to be honest. We thought we had a good car, but honestly, not enough to challenge Mercedes or Ferrari. Our car is above the performance we expected and Mercedes and Ferrari are below in the first races, but they are very strong teams and that will get better and better as we saw last year in the case of Mercedes.”

The Red Bulls are unbeatable at the moment. But that did not stop Alonso from challenging them on track. He wants to catch up with them and push Aston Martin beyond the reach of Mercedes and Ferrari. Despite faring better than his rivals, in the first three races, Alonso believes they are still a threat to Aston Martin. The 41-year-old claimed the Baku circuit did not suit the AMR23. 

Aston Martin’s main rivals this season are Mercedes and Ferrari. From being a mid-team, they went to challenge the front runners. This is a big step forward for the Silverstone-based outfit. However, they are aware that their rivals will bring upgrades. Aston Martin are also working on their car to deliver consistent results. It is only a matter of time before Alonso gets his 33rd victory in Formula 1. 

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