Following Sebastian Vettel’s retirement in 2022, the driver market was triggered into a silly season of driver moves. One of the most surprising moves last year was Fernando Alonso’s jump from Alpine to Aston Martin.
While he was criticized for moving to a weaker team, the Spaniard has proved critics wrong in 2023, by bagging multiple podiums this season, earning himself P3 in the standings. However, the team has seen mild success over the last couple of months.
Mike Krack reveals strategy for working with Fernando Alonso
Fernando Alonso has been criticized in the past as “difficult to work with,” given his short temper and general impatience. However, this is not at all reflective of the 2-time champion’s talent, with Alonso proving critics wrong multiple times over his 22-year-long career.
Speaking on his strategy to work with Alonso, the Aston Martin team principal stated, “I don’t think we need to manage each other, because he is a member of the team, as we all are. He is the most exposed with the highest profile, so obviously, you listen to what he is doing and you care about what he is saying. But he knows we want to do this together.”
Nevertheless, the mid-season slump the team is undergoing is an issue that also requires attention. Regarding this, the team including Alonso has promised a comeback, with an eager attitude toward the re-commencement of the 2023 season.
The disparity in performance, however, is apparent simply in terms of points scored at the start of the season vis à vis where the team stands now.
How many podiums has Alonso bagged in 2023?
With a superb start to the season, Aston Martin’s hopes have largely been rested on Fernando Alonso’s shoulders this season. The Spaniard has bagged 6 podiums for the team already this season, securing himself P3 in the standings. The 2023 season has been a come-back season for the Aston Martin driver, who had otherwise scored only 1 podium since 2014. However, the opposite side of the garage has not been seeing similar results and performances.
Aston Martin owner Lawrence Stroll’s son Lance Stroll was already off to a rocky start to the season, with a biking accident forcing his absence at pre-season testing. Even in Bahrain, Stroll was still recovering, so no one can blame him for his performance then, but that still leaves the rest of the season’s lack of performances unexplained. His qualifying form has cost him dearly, with him missing out on Q3 on five occasions.
Aston Martin F1 needs to seriously reconsider its strategy overall, and maybe even re-assess its driver line-up, given their shortcomings in the constructors’ championship. While that may be unlikely, the car’s performance is definitely a top priority for the Silverstone-based team.
Do you think Aston Martin can snatch P2 from Mercedes? Comment what you think down below!
