After a strong start to the 2023 season, Aston Martin has seen a string of poor finishes and a major downgrade in performance. This downgrade has been the focal point of many conversations, with multiple theories catching the wind. The latest rumor suggests that the reason behind Aston Martin’s lack of performance has been a ban by the FIA. While no solid piece of evidence supports this argument, McLaren’s Lando Norris believes, as per La Sexta, they should not take Aston Martin for granted just yet.
The team at Aston Martin believes their performance has gone down due to multiple factors. They suggest that Aston Martin might have overdone the aerodynamics on their cars, making them too air resistant. Another reason behind their slump can be the changed Pirelli tires.
Nonetheless, while there is no certainty as to what has caused the slump at Aston Martin, its closest competitors have not written them off just yet.
Lando Norris still wary of an Aston Martin comeback
Aston Martin’s struggle has seen McLaren benefit the most. While the green outfit was the surprise at the start of the season, McLaren announced themselves as podium contenders right before the mid-season break. But McLaren’s Lando Norris still believes they should not write their opponents off and that there might be a chance of an Aston Martin comeback.
“We have two cars, two Red Bulls that basically should be one-two in every race this year. So it’s like fighting for third place and if something happens to one of those two drivers, you might be able to fight for second or victory. But really, there is only one place and you have two Mercedes that have been very consistent. And you can never rule out Ferrari and Aston, especially this year,” said Norris.
Adding to Norris’ worries, the Belgian Grand Prix came bearing good news for Aston Martin. After a string of loose performances, Aston Martin found their stride at Spa-Francorchamps, with Fernando Alonso finishing in 5th place. His teammate, Lance Stroll, took home the 9th place, which meant both drivers could register points during the main race.
In comparison, McLaren’s Lando Norris finished 7th, while Oscar Piastri had to retire from the race after lap 1.
Mike Krack’s views on his team’s hardship
Larazon.es quoted Aston Martin boss Mike Krack as he addressed his team’s predicaments in F1. The team boss was rather ambiguous with his answer, as he said he could neither confirm nor deny the FIA ban order. The order is rumored to suggest that Aston Martin made changes to their front wings, which were not in line with the regulations set in place by the FIA.
Having undone said changes at the British Grand Prix, Aston Martin will now bring more changes to their car once the season restarts. The Zandvoort circuit will see Aston Martin bring changes to the sidepods, the DRS, and the car’s floor, which are also the three primary factors governing a car’s speed.
Aston Martin have presented themselves as serious contenders for a podium finish in both driver’s and constructor’s categories. They are currently third in the constructor’s championship with 196 points. And Fernando Alonso is also in third place in the driver’s standings with 149 points to his name.
