In Spielberg, Aston Martin missed the podium for only the third time in 2023. Formula 1 veteran Fernando Alonso is not worried and attributes this at least partially to the track in Austria.
Actually, it speaks for Aston Martin’s overall strong season when Fernando Alonso’s fifth place in Spielberg is the second-worst result of the season so far for the Spaniard. The two-time world champion had previously only finished seventh at his home race in Barcelona.
“I think it was more or less the maximum we could achieve,” says Alonso on “Sky”. He actually only crossed the finish line in sixth place, but because of the subsequent penalty against Carlos Sainz he moved up one position.
“It was with Lando [Norris] and Mercedes are very close in terms of pace,” explains Alonso, who saw the checkered flag almost four seconds behind the McLaren. Nevertheless, this is a bit of a surprise, because Alonso’s former team has actually not been a real opponent for Aston Martin this year.
When asked why they fell back in Austria after finishing second in Canada, Alonso replies: “I don’t know. I think it’s a bit of everything. Maybe the track doesn’t suit our car. Past Year Aston had big problems in Austria.”
Aston Martin: What role did the updates play at Ferrari and McLaren?
In 2022, Sebastian Vettel and Lance Stroll were only 17th and 13th in the AMR22, one lap down. But Alonso also makes it clear: “That doesn’t mean that we should accept it, because next year we can’t be slow here again.”
Although he believes that the upgrades from McLaren and Ferrari could also have played a role. “But I think it’s more up to us to understand why we seem to have more problems on some tracks than others,” said Alonso.
“And the most frustrating thing about it is that we kind of know beforehand,” said Alonso, who stressed that the situation in Barcelona was “similar”. “But we shouldn’t worry too much. We have another chance next week,” he said.
Alonso also makes it clear that Ferrari has often been beaten under value this season. “I think they were very fast all season,” he emphasizes, explaining that the Scuderia would have been on the podium at the opener in Bahrain if Charles Leclerc hadn’t failed there.
After that, there were often incidents or problems in qualifying. The decisive difference in Spielberg was only that Ferrari finally got a weekend together. “They were a tenth or two faster than us, so I’m not worried about that,” said Alonso.
Aston Martin driver Alonso fails with an alternative strategy
With regard to his own race, the Spaniard struggles a bit with the virtual safety car that was used after Nico Hülkenberg retired. Because Alonso started as one of only three drivers on the hard tyres.
“We tried something different,” he explains.
“Of course, the virtual safety car didn’t help our hopes of being able to extend the first stint. The race was more or less neutralized at that point and we all had the same tires until the end,” he reports.
“But that didn’t affect the outcome of the race. That was the maximum today,” he emphasizes and explains: “We more or less ended up in the place we deserved. We were sixth fastest. And we are [vor der Strafe gegen Sainz] stayed sixth.”
The virtual safety car was even more bitter for team-mate Lance Stroll, because Aston Martin (like Alonso) only brought him into the pits on the second lap of the caution phase. The problem: The VSC phase ended just as Stroll was dispatched.
Aston Martin: VSC costs Stroll a better position
That cost several seconds and thus also positions. “We lost five positions there. I was P8 and then P13. We’ll have to take a look at that. Maybe we could have done it differently. It’s always a risk to get both cars back to back,” says Stroll.
“I think we would have had it right in the first round [des VSC] should come in”, he explains and emphasizes that after that it was only about “damage limitation” for him. Because in front of the VSC Stroll was in seventh place and thus directly behind Alonso.
However, he only finished the race in ninth place because he was stuck in traffic after bad luck with the timing and first had to work his way back up the field. Teammate Alonso also explains that there should have been “somewhat clearer communication” at this stage.
Regardless of this, Stroll also emphasizes: “We were less competitive than in Canada.” At the upcoming race in Silverstone, however, this could be corrected with updates, because Stroll reveals that there should be “a few parts” for the AMR23 at the team’s home race.
“We should [in Silverstone] be okay,” says Alonso and explains with regard to the other races in July: “Silverstone was average last year. Budapest and Spa were pretty good for Aston then, so hopes are pinned on the last races of the month.”