Everything is ready for the start of the F1 World Championship. Australia is preparing to kick off a season that, although it may seem like a transitional one, is shaping up to be one of the most exciting in recent years given the level of competition. And in this level of competition, Fernando Alonso is optimistic about Aston Martin‘s chances throughout the season.
A dubious start for Aston Martin
Aston Martin’s sensations at the start of the season have not been the best. During the tests in Bahrain, the AMR25 showed signs of improvement in some key aspects such as top speed, aerodynamics and cornering. On the other hand, the car did show instability and there was evidence of high tyre wear, a problem that already affected the team last year with the AMR24.
On the other hand, the Aston Martin was one of the cars that completed the fewest kilometers during the three days of the session due to various faults in the car, which has raised doubts about the reliability of the AMR25 for the start of this season.
However, both the team and Fernando Alonso himself were satisfied after the tests. The Asturian driver declared after the tests that the team had taken a step forward, that the car was better, that they will be fighting with the best in the middle class, and that the fight for points could not be ruled out.
Alonso optimistic a few hours before the start of the world championship
Aston Martin and Fernando Alonso are already in Australia preparing for this weekend’s race. Alonso stands by what he said a few weeks ago, but is confident that the team can take a step forward throughout the championship. The Spaniard says that at Aston Martin “we have followed our program, which obviously was different from the rest of the teams,” and he hopes that this progress will translate into improvements during the season that will give him options to fight with the top of the grid. “If you get a package of improvements right, it changes your season. We will have improvements to the car and if one of those revives the car, suddenly you can fight for much better things.”
A tight world championship with several winners
Fernando Alonso is still convinced that this is one of the closest F1 World Championships in recent years. He expects there to be changes throughout the season and we will see several drivers at the top of the podium. “We will see several winners and a close World Championship”. “This year it is more open, last year Max had a big advantage in the tests and this year I think McLaren has it, but it will be very open until the end”.
“I expect to see changes in the order during the season, but not because of the front wing (the regulations change during the Spanish GP). There are many examples in recent years. McLaren is the clear favorite in 2023, but so is Mercedes in 2024. Or Alpine, who they lapped in the first races of last season and then were the fourth or fifth fastest car.”
The arrival of Adrian Newey and its effects on the AMR25
The signing of Adrian Newey to Aston Martin is an incentive for the team. Although it is true that his signing is more focused on next season, he is expected to get his hands on the AMR25 in order to get the maximum power out of the car during the current season and to see Aston Martin rubbing shoulders with the best.
The F1 World Championship is here, Australia will put everyone in their place and we will see how Aston Martin starts the season. But it is to be expected that during the season, given the equality between the teams, we will see important changes in the order of the grid.