As we inch closer to the 2024 season, Fernando Alonso is back to work and has given a major update on the functioning of the Aston Martin factory. Soon after Alonso jumped into the simulator recently, he fired a warning at his rivals. He has gone to the extent of predicting a better finish to the 2024 season than the recently concluded 2023.
In a YouTube Short on Aston Martin’s official channel, the Spaniard said, “First day back in the car, back in the factory. Hyperfocus means total dedication to what you do. To be united now, to also send a message to everyone that we’re here to work 24 hours, 7 days a week, and ready for the new season. Everyone is doing 100%. 2023 has been an incredible season and 2024 is going to be even better.”
Alonso also highlighted how important his work on the simulator was. He revealed how precise he needs to be in his inputs so that the simulator gives feedback similar to the actual car.
In 2023, the Spaniard enjoyed a phenomenal start to the season. The Silverstone-based team took everyone by surprise right from the test runs in Bahrain.
The numbers from the test run successfully translated to the actual performance on the track. Taking full advantage of the purple patch, Alonso bagged three consecutive podiums to kickstart the campaign.
However, the team hit a roadblock in the middle of the season. That resulted in a podium-less run for a long time. All this while, rivals like McLaren, Mercedes, and Ferrari made steady progress to climb back up.
As for Alonso, he is still looking to register his evasive 33rd-race win. It’s been more than a decade since he registered his 32nd victory in the sport at the 2013 Spanish Grand Prix.
How Aston Martin dropped momentum and what their prospects for 2024 look like?
Aston Martin took a development route that proved counterproductive. Instead of the car having any improvement in pace, it began to encounter driveability issues. While the situation wasn’t alarming, it was the rivals catching up to Aston Martin that cost the Silverstone-based outfit greatly.
As a result, Aston Martin went from being second-fastest to finishing fifth in the championship. Meanwhile, Fernando Alonso secured a fourth position in the Drivers’ standings while his teammate Lance Stroll only managed 10th.
“Sabemos o que queremos fazer para 2024 e a direção que precisamos seguir com o carro do próximo ano – mas isso não significa necessariamente que iremos aparecer na abertura da temporada no Bahrein no próximo ano e lutar pelo sucesso. vitória na corrida.”
— Mike Krack pic.twitter.com/UW1crgMYIp
— Aston Martin F1 Brasil (@AstonMartinBRF1) January 2, 2024
Team boss Mike Krack, however, claims to have found the area for improvement ahead of the upcoming season. They have also recruited some key individuals to help them make gains over the course of the ongoing winter break.
One of them includes Andor Hegedus, a former Red Bull employee. Hegedus has joined Aston Martin as their new senior project designer. He will now reunite with his ex-Red Bull colleague Dan Fallows at Aston Martin who is currently heading the aerodynamics division.
