The pre-season of Formula 1, as usual, always leaves more questions than answers with regard to the performance of the cars, and the tests in Bahrain have been no exception. That being the case, the Asturian driver, Fernando Alonso, only came seventh in the time trials but the telemetry is allowing us to suggest that Aston Martin may be hiding its true potential. Comparisons with teams such as McLaren or Ferrari are corroborating that the AMR25 could make a very significant leap in performance.
Aston Martin plays the confusion card
In general, the first days of testing are characterized by an obvious prudence. In the case of Aston Martin, the evidence indicates that the British team has chosen not to seek the maximum performance from its car. In this case, the comparative telemetry carried out on Oscar Piastri’s and McLaren’s has shown that the Aston Martin AMR25 has been running at a lower power than it can actually deliver.
Sky Sports has confirmed that in corners the Aston Martin is on a par with Ferrari and McLaren, which is a significant improvement on last season. This reinforces the theory that the Silverstone team could spring a surprise as soon as the season starts.
One of the most surprising details of the telemetry was the difference in top speed on the straights. In comparison with other cars, Fernando Alonso’s Aston Martin had turned with a lower gear, that is to say, saving that revolution, which indicates a way of hiding its potential. Carlos Miquel, a journalist from COPE, said that he had been told by team sources: “they haven’t shown everything” and that “we are going to be much higher up”.
Telemetry doesn’t lie
The test data has shown an obvious reality: Aston Martin has not lost ground to its main direct competitors. In corners, the performance of the AMR25 is very similar to that of Ferrari and McLaren, something that seems to show that the team is improving in one of its weakest areas of 2024.
Although the times in the verifications are not always a true reflection of the competitive reality, a review of the telemetry shows that the car Alonso was driving has room for improvement, which, together with the alternative that Aston Martin has of having limited its performance so as not to reveal its true capacity, as this is a typical practice in Formula 1, suggests that there may be potential to be discovered.
Alonso’s optimism and the AMR25
Fernando Alonso is well aware of his car’s capabilities, which has allowed him to state that the team has a well-defined roadmap. “We aim for perfection every weekend. If that’s enough to fight at the top, it will be even better,” said the Spanish driver in a statement reported by GPBlog. The Spaniard is absolutely confident that the AMR25 can progress during the next test sessions and the first races of the season. The driver’s experience and his ability to extract performance levels will be decisive for Aston Martin to be able to fight with the best.
Can Aston Martin win in 2025?
The uncertainty factor persists for Aston Martin, which in the short term predicts the possibility of fighting for victories; the strategy of hiding the performance of the AMR25 in tests could be a wise move by Aston Martin when the season starts.
With a more consolidated team and the confidence of a two-time champion like Fernando Alonso, the dream of victory number 33 is still alive. The 2025 season may be the big chance for Aston Martin and Fernando Alonso to return to the top of the podium.