With the renewal in his pocket, at least until 2026, Fernando Alonso faces the rest of the season with optimism. The Asturian achieved a 6th position in the Japanese GP that tasted like gold for the Aston Martin team. His performance was so brilliant that not only does the Asturian include this race among the best of his career but it also gives him wings to face the race in Shanghai.
After his sixth place in Japan, Alonso – in a second youth at 42 years old – is eighth in the World Cup, with 24 points: 53 less than the Dutchman Max Verstappen (Red Bull) who remains unbeatable. However, the new format of the Chinese GP, highly criticized by the drivers -including Verstappen- can give an advantage to the Spanish.
After a week of rest, Formula 1 is back. The fifth grand prix of the season is here, the last of the Asian tour. The weekends in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Melbourne, Japan have already been held and now it is the turn of the Chinese Grand Prix. A race in which Formula 1 introduces its new format to the Sprint and Aston Martin considers that this will be a point in the Asturian's favor.
This has been stated by Pedro Martínez de la Rosa, advisor to the Aston Martin team. Complaints from the teams have multiplied in recent days, as they did not understand the decision to compete in a Sprint Grand Prix on a circuit where they have not raced for a long time. With a single free practice session, the possibilities of adapting to the layout are reduced but for Alonso it is a plus. “Sometimes he mentions it, he doesn't need to warm up. He doesn't need another set of tires to go faster. It's just the first lap, that's all, and it will be fast all weekend. He does not need to catch up, “he has noted in statements that he collects I amMotor. So that, The fact that there is only one free practice session may disadvantage some drivers who have never ridden on the Shanghai track, while it may be a point in Alonso's favour.
New improvements in sight
But there is still more and the Asturian is already rubbing his hands. Those from Silverstone announced that they did not plan to introduce any major new features during the Asian tour or in Miami and would wait until mid-May to introduce the major improvement packages of the season. However, in Japan they introduced an important aerodynamic kit. An improvement that affected the floor and diffuser, as well as suspensions and even bodywork.
But the engineers do not stop working to enhance certain areas of the car. These improvements not only focus on engine performance and aerodynamics, but also on aspects such as tire management and race strategy and will already have an effect on the Chinese GP.
“There are a couple of things planned to improve the car. This package is the basis for what will come next. The pace is not yet where we want and that is what we must focus on,” says the team after and as Formula Directa advances.
The planned improvements cover a wide range of technical areas, from suspension adjustments to refinements in airflow around the car. These updates are expected to result in a significant increase in the Aston Martin's overall performance, which could bring the team even closer to fighting for the top spots on the grid.
The planned improvements cover a wide range of technical areas, from suspension adjustments to refinements to airflow around the car. Some updates that could bring Aston Martin closer to the head of the grid.