Aston Martin have had a torrid run since the Canadian Grand Prix in June as they have only been able to clinch one podium since then. Despite such a fall from grace, Fernando Alonso is all praises for his side.
The Spaniard had an incredible start to the 2023 season as he clinched five podiums after his first six races. At that point in time, Aston Martin were the second-fastest team on the current grid.
However, since then, the Silverstone-based outfit have struggled massively to compete for the top positions. Despite Aston Martin’s recent struggles, Alonso believes that the team can be “super proud” of themselves because of the remarkable improvement they made from last season.
Alonso reveals he is “super proud” of Aston Martin’s 2023 season
After finishing seventh in the 2022 Constructors’ Championship, Aston Martin have made a massive step forward this season. The team has registered seven podiums this year and are currently fighting for fourth place in the Constructors’ Championship. As a result, Fernando Alonso believes that there is no reason for his team to feel “disappointed” despite their recent slump.
While speaking in an interview ahead of the United States Grand Prix this weekend, the Spaniard said (as quoted by as.com), “We are super proud of our 2023. It is 197 points more than last year at this point in the season and it is something incredible“.
All set for the upcoming three weeks of racing . The entire team united for the final push of an incredible season for us! Let’s go, team! @AstonMartinF1 #f1 #astonmartin pic.twitter.com/8uzANwH2Ic
— Fernando Alonso (@alo_oficial) October 16, 2023
Since Alonso is happy with the way Aston Martin have performed, there are also speculations that he could extend his contract with the team. His current contract ends at the end of next season.
Fernando Alonso could extend his Aston Martin contract beyond 2024
Aston Martin F1 team owner Lawrence Stroll is open to extending Fernando Alonso’s contract as he believes that the Spaniard is “full of energy like he’s 22 years old“. As a result of the Spaniard‘s hunger to still perform at the best, the Canadian billionaire told Sky F1 in a recent interview (as quoted by grandprix247.com) that “anything is possible,” when asked if the team will extend the 42-year-old’s contract beyond 2024.
However, since Alonso is undoubtedly one of the top drivers on the current grid, he has high expectations from Aston Martin. Ahead of the United States GP, the two-time champion explained how he hopes that his side can make as much of an improvement into the next season as they did coming into this year.
However, even if Aston Martin were to make a substantial improvement, it would be very difficult for them to compete against the likes of Ferrari and McLaren. Both these sides are also aiming to improve their car even further to challenge Red Bull for the title next season.
