It was a tough day at the office in Suzuka for Fernando Alonso who not only had to keep the Alpine cars at bay but also had to take extra care of his car’s rear wing after Lance Stroll’s retirement. His race engineer told him to keep the car away from the curbs and not approach them aggressively so as to not damage the wing. However, Formula Passion reports that the 42-year-old decided against listening to his team as he looked to secure as many points as possible.
Having started the season as the dark horse, Aston Martin has seen a steady decline in their performances. While they were once second in the constructor’s championship, the Silverstone outfit now finds itself in fourth. The loss of morale has certainly had an impact on the relations between Alonso and the crew, as the Spanish driver continues to over-perform but not entirely according to his team’s wishes.
Fernando Alonso decided against his team’s orders in Suzuka
Life in Aston Martin is becoming increasingly challenging for the two-time former world champion. Alonso claims many components in the car need betterment. For example, the DRS of the car is very less effective, as despite opening the rear wing, the car in front keeps building a gap. As such, Formula Passion reports that the Asturian admitted to not listening to his team’s instructions as he already has a lot to do to keep the car on track.
“As for the curb crossings, I didn’t listen to the radio team. With what’s in the car I already have enough to do to stay on the track.”
While Alonso has stayed surprisingly calm with his current employers, it could all change soon. Should the team continue to ‘trouble’ the Spaniard, there might be a blowup within the team with Alonso at the helm of it. Given the same, Aston Martin needs to come up with a plan to improve themselves ASAP or risk facing the wrath of Alonso.
Alonso might be running out of patience at Aston Martin
Famous for his ‘bad boy’ image in the paddock, Alonso has had a long history of difficult relationships with teams he has been a part of. The Asturian has often been a major part of controversies within teams, leading to a fallout between the driver and his employer. Despite Mike Krack figuring out the way to keep harmony between Aston Martin and Alonso, things could soon take a dark turn. To avoid a messy situation, Aston Martin needs to show signs of life and put in strong performances before the season ends.
🗣️💥| Fernando Alonso after the race:
“We have to analyze it because the car was very difficult to drive, but it had very little grip in the rear. So yes, because of that we killed the tires very quickly after the pit stop and it was a very hard race.
“We need to look at the… pic.twitter.com/n8Z6L7S8bs
— Aston Martin Formula 1 News (@AMF1News) September 17, 2023
While number ’33’ has become a distant dream for Alonso this year, a podium finish might not be as far-fetched. Having already secured seven podiums this season, Alonso would want to see his team pick up one or two more in the remainder of the season to continue believing in them. If it were to not happen, the alliance between Aston Martin and Fernando Alonso could come to an end soon.
