Aston Martin made a gigantic step forward in performance last season to turn heads around in the F1 paddock. Suddenly from scraping points the previous year, the Silverstone team became consistent podium contenders in 2023, with Fernando Alonso finishing in the top three 8 times. It was Dan Fallows who came in as their new technical director and led this technical renaissance. This season too, Aston Martin has similar ambitions of progress. However, if they falter, Fallows is ready to take ownership of not delivering a quicker car.
Appearing on The Fast and The Curious podcast, Fallows stated, “I like to say, if it’s slow, it’s my fault. If it’s fast, then it’s the hundreds of people that have put the effort into it.” The British engineer jumping ship from Red Bull in mid-2022 was a controversial one, as Aston Martin had poached Adrian Newey’s, right-hand man.
So, with all the wisdom from arguably one of F1’s greatest car designers, Adrian Newey, Aston expected Fallows to bring some magic to their car development. And that is exactly what the 50-year-old did with the AMR23.
The team’s 2023 car made a huge step up on raw pace, with a Red Bull-inspired concept. Fallows is looking to lead the team to better results in 2024 after scoring 280 points and eight podiums in total last year. He cited that the rest of his technical team deserves all the credit for this amazing upturn in form.
However, if the Briton’s technical team fails to deliver a quicker car than the AMR23, there are chances that Fernando Alonso may leave the team for next season.
How is Fernando Alonso’s future contingent on Aston Martin’s 2024 performance
Fernando Alonso’s Aston Martin contract expires at the end of 2024. While the Spaniard has an option to extend the contract for 2025, the driver market for next season has opportunities galore. One such opportunity is with Aston’s current engine supplier – Mercedes.
With Lewis Hamilton heading out for Ferrari next year, Alonso may be on Toto Wolff’s shortlist to replace the seven-time champion. In the build-up to the 2024 season, the 42-year-old has endorsed himself as the “only world champion available” for 2025.
So, Alonso is certainly eyeing up to replace his former McLaren teammate at the Brackley outfit. As things stand, he has assured that Aston Martin will remain his priority when negotiating a seat for next year. However, known for famously burning bridges and switching F1 teams, everyone in the paddock knows how quickly Alonso can change his mind.
So, Aston Martin needs to demonstrate that their car has better potential and a higher performance ceiling in the long term relative to Mercedes. Even Mike Krack, Aston’s team principal has cited that retaining the two-time champion is one of the most important objectives for the team.
From Alonso’s standpoint, he is looking to play the wait-and-watch game. Given Aston and Mercedes stand a similar junctures currently, it is anything but a clear choice for the 42-year-old to pledge his future to either of these two teams so early in 2024.
