Aston Martin has failed to replicate its podium-laden start from 2023 this year. They have struggled to even make it to the top five in most of the races. With a triple-header in Europe coming up next, Aston Martin’s performance director Tom McCullough reveals which track will benefit Fernando Alonso and Co. the most out of Silverstone, Barcelona, and Spielberg.
All three circuits have a lot of similarities. But, he feels that Silverstone will suit Alonso the most. “Our car with the DRS switch and efficiency will probably favor Silverstone, Austria, and then Barcelona,” McCullough said on the F1 Nation Podcast. “They have a lot of similarities, high speed, grip limited.”
Both Alonso and Stroll have had underwhelming seasons, personally as well. But in Canada, Aston Martin fully capitalized on Ferrari’s underperformance to make a small jump. The Italian team was nowhere near the top 10 in Montreal, and Alonso finished P6, one position ahead of Stroll in P7.
The home of El Padre.
The #SpanishGP is almost here and to celebrate we’re spotlighting home hero @alo_oficial and our incredible fans.
Stay tuned to find out what we’re up to and how you can get involved, whether you’re joining us in Spain or showing your support from home! pic.twitter.com/HyRKZs317o
— Aston Martin Aramco F1 Team (@AstonMartinF1) June 16, 2024
Aston Martin doesn’t quite have the pace to score big points consistently up until now. But, to make the best out of the situation for others, they could be eyeing top-five results in the upcoming triple-header.
McCullough even suggested that the team will be bringing some upgrades to Barcelona, to help them improve.
Aston Martin to Bring Upgrades to Spanish GP, but will the upgrades work?
Aston Martin lost ground to the likes of Mercedes and Ferrari in 2023 because they weren’t able to upgrade their car like the competition. 2024 has been no different as Aston Martin continues to struggle with its development.
Lawrence Stroll’s team has already brought two major upgrades to the AMR24. One in Japan and the other in Imola. Yet, Aston Martin is still stuck as the 5th best team on the grid. Long way behind Mercedes, and somewhat ahead of AlphaTauri and Haas. The upgrades just don’t seem to be making a big impact, despite the major changes being brought with them.
Tom McCullough advised that the team will bring some changes to Catalunya. The Spanish GP is a great testing track for the upgrades as it has both high and low-speed corners combined with a long straight. Looking at Aston Martin’s history, however, the hopes aren’t high. Yet, the Silverstone outfit cannot be written off. After all, we’ve already seen how much Mercedes improved with just a new front wing.
