Aston Martin’s significant upgrade package
Fernando Alonso has expressed his satisfaction with Aston Martin’s recent upgrades, which allowed him to progress to Q2 for the first time this season in Hungary. The team introduced a substantial overhaul of the car, featuring 16 updates, rather than smaller changes over multiple weekends. These modifications included changes to the front wing, floor, diffuser, and rear suspension, aiming to improve the car’s performance.
Alonso described the experience as a “different Qualifying,” noting that the car felt more responsive and predictable. He secured P16 on the grid, beating six other drivers to reach Q2. This achievement follows his earlier success in Monaco, where he scored Aston Martin’s first point of the season by finishing P10.
The upgrades have generated a positive atmosphere within the team, with Alonso highlighting the importance of the correlation between expected performance and on-track reality. This correlation is seen as crucial for future projects, including next year’s car design.
Rival teams react to performance gains
The performance improvements demonstrated by Aston Martin have caught the attention of rival teams. Cadillac’s Valtteri Bottas admitted concern that Aston Martin’s upgrade could make his team the slowest, especially after having previously pulled ahead in recent rounds. Bottas, who qualified 21st, noted that the rumoured two-second improvement from Aston Martin’s upgrades did not seem far off.
Williams’ Carlos Sainz, whose car was half a second slower than Alonso’s, expressed his impression of Aston Martin’s progress. His teammate, Alex Albon, described the step forward as “eye-opening,” suggesting that Williams might not be able to replicate such a significant gain with their own upcoming major upgrade at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in September. Albon remarked that he could “only dream” of an upgrade of that magnitude.
Haas’ Ollie Bearman also felt the impact, being knocked out of Q1 for the first time since Monaco. He acknowledged the difficulty of competing against the upgraded AMR26, despite Aston Martin using three sets of soft tyres compared to his two. Esteban Ocon from Alpine called Aston Martin’s upgrade “quite impressive” and considered them a threat.
Looking ahead for Aston Martin
Despite the positive qualifying result, Alonso believes that scoring points in the race at the Hungaroring will still be challenging. He indicated that there is more potential to unlock from the car, as this will be the first time the new package completes more than six or seven laps, providing a crucial test for reliability and other aspects of the car.
Aston Martin is also anticipating further developments. A chassis upgrade is planned for the first race after the summer break at Zandvoort, which will coincide with Honda’s sole engine upgrade. Another chassis upgrade is scheduled for Baku a month later. Team boss Adrian Newey has set the immediate goal of achieving “respectability” for the team.
However, some drivers, including Bearman and Bottas, noted that the Hungaroring, with its shorter straights, might particularly suit Aston Martin’s current package. They suggested that the team might face challenges on tracks with longer straights, underscoring the importance of the upcoming chassis and engine upgrades to maintain their momentum.
The team experienced a mixed day during practice, as Lance Stroll’s car suffered a left-rear suspension failure in the first practice session, preventing him from participating in the second. Stroll was subsequently knocked out of Q1 in 20th place, half a second behind Alonso. Despite this setback, the team is focused on understanding and optimising the new package.
The next major event for the team will be the Dutch Grand Prix, where Honda is expected to deliver its engine upgrade.
Source: formula1.com
Sam Whitlock is a Sports News Writer at News-GB.org. He moved from local newspapers into digital sport. He focuses on rugby union, golf and boxing and is known for clear, deadline-driven reporting. He holds a degree in Journalism from the University of Gloucestershire and completed an NCTJ diploma. Now based in Gloucester, he plays amateur rugby and follows the fight game. “Clarity beats cleverness in breaking sport news.”