Fernando Alonso Blaming Tire Rule Change for Aston Martin’s Dip in Performances Isn’t a Great Excuse; Claims F1 Expert

Having started the 2023 season surprisingly well, Aston Martin has seen a recent slump in their performance. Fernando Alonso believes that the mid-season tire change rule brought into effect has caused this slump. Alonso, who is not a fan of mid-season changes in general, claimed the new tires affect the grip levels of his car. However, F1 journalist Edd Straw doesn’t believe the change could cause a team much harm, labeling Alonso’s words an excuse.

The Aston Martin veteran has always been outspoken about not enjoying mid-season changes. Even in 2006, when the Spanish driver won the world championship, a mid-season ban on his Renault’s mass-damper system nearly cost him the title.

While the new rule may lead to more pitstops than before, it also gives the teams more leeway regarding what tires they have available on race days. Edd Straw also elaborated on the topic, said that most teams were not too “worried” about the new change.

Fernando Alonso’s words are mere excuses per journalist Edd Straw

While in conversation with Gary Anderson and Mark Hughes in the recent Report Card podcast, the F1 journalist addressed Alonso’s concerns. Straw says the latest tire changes could only have a marginal effect on Aston Martin’s performance, which would certainly not be enough to see a significant downgrade in their pace.

“I think the one thing we could largely shrug off is the tire change which Fernando Alonso talked about a bit. Now, the team themself doesn’t seem particularly interested in using this as an excuse. Rival teams say it hasn’t made much difference.”

While the tire rule change may not be a significant concern, it psychologically affects Fernando Alonso, who says he wants to take things lightly with the new tires. On the other hand, a certain alleged reason might have led to the dip in Aston Martin’s performance.

‘Secret’ FIA ban could be the reason behind Aston Martin’s struggles

As per a report by La Razon, the FIA secretly banned a crucial component of the Aston Martin cars midway into this season. This ban means that the Silverstone-based racing outfit had to change their cars’ front wings. While speculation can draw no certainties, Aston Martin’s team boss Mike Krack gave wind to the rumor after refusing to comment on the issue.

 

🗣️ “We need to be very pragmatic and very relaxed about our performance”

Fernando Alonso explains why Aston Martin “cannot get stressed” if it suffers a dip in #F1 form ⬇️https://t.co/l4PlXS3zDP

— Autosport (@autosport) July 10, 2023

Aston Martin has since undone the latest upgrade on their front wings, claiming it was a miss-step in the development of the AMR23. The team will bring a massive upgrade pack to their cars once the F1 season restarts at the Dutch GP. New side pods, a better floor, and an improved DRS might be on display soon. Fernando Alonso will hope that these changes put them in contention for the podium places once again.