Aston Martin F1 boss on Alonso's immediate impact: 'One word: wow'

F1
- Last updated: March 3rd 2023

The Aston Martin AMR23 was the surprise package of testing: Fernando Alonso and Mike Krack analyse their push to the front of the F1 field

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Alonso has posted impressive times at the wheel of the AMR23 so far

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Fernando Alonso’s arrival at Aston Martin was always going to be a major storyline of the 2023 Formula 1 season, win, draw or lose.

However after last week’s testing in Bahrain the Spaniard’s pace, especially in the long runs late on the final day, really caught the attention. As Mark Hughes set out in his column, it fired up hopes of Alonso making a sensational return to the front of the grid.

Many observers believe that Aston Martin is not just ahead of all its usual midfield rivals, but at the very least also in the mix with Mercedes for third, if not actually ahead of its engine supplier. How that testing form translates into the cut and thrust of a race weekend, as everyone shows their true hands, remains to be seen.

Alonso has clearly already had an impact at the Silverstone team in terms of motivating the workforce and giving everyone that little extra spring in their step. As a multiple world champion Sebastian Vettel already moved things in the right direction over the past two seasons, but Alonso’s feisty personality represents another level.

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Krack has been highly impressed by Alonso’s input so far

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“Well, if I can only say one word about Fernando, it’s ‘wow’,” said team boss Mike Krack after the three days of testing. “Honestly, it has been positive throughout in terms of feedback, in terms of how he is pushing us, how he is pushing himself, and also for the pace that he’s delivering. So we are very happy.”

Krack, who knew the young Vettel in their BMW Sauber days, made some observations about the two superstars that Aston has employed.

“It’s very, very difficult to compare,” he said. “Both are very, very fast drivers. Both have been world champions. But one is Latin, one is German. I think it’s difficult to really compare. Both have their have their own ways of communicating, both have their own ways of handling or dealing with the team.

“And I think it’s unfair to say one is better one is worse in these kind of areas. They are both great champions.”

“Last year we were P4 in the test, and in the race we were out in Q1”

Testing looked good but Krack was keen to suggest that the true picture is still a little murky.

“To be honest, I think it’s very, very difficult on such a test to make a proper judgement,” he said. “I give you an example. Last year, we were P4, P4 and P10 over the three days, and we seem very similar now. And in the race, we were out in Q1.

“So just to tell you how much a test like that can give you an indication of where you are.

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“Our goal was to make a step forward in the performance of the car, in the team. And this still remains our objective.”

Krack says the team still has much to learn about the AMR23: “You never feel that you are well prepared to be honest, because you have a huge list of open points after three days of testing.

“And even if you have managed a lot of laps, it’s only three days. So a lot of things can go wrong in the race. So you never feel super confident that you have all the boxes ticked in terms of reliability.”

Alonso got to know his new team for the first time at the Abu Dhabi test in November, and learned more during some Pirelli 2024 tyre running at Jerez earlier this year. The three intensive days in Bahrain, including one where he had the car to himself, were invaluable.

“At the end of the day all F1 teams have a similar philosophy and similar approach for racing,” said the Spaniard. “They are all extremely professional and extremely good at the things they do.

“Aston Martin is trying to become a contender for the future. The new factory is coming together now in May, or in June I think it’ll be ready. New wind tunnel, a lot of investments. So there are things that look pretty good for the future.

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New AMR23 has potential to push up to frontrunners

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“Obviously, I’m thinking more about today’s test than in two years’ time. It shows the interest of being a top team soon, all the new talent that is joining the team in the last few months.”

F1 cars are complicated beast these days, and even for a driver of Alonso’s vast experience there’s a process of adjustment to new car and PU systems, and a new way of working.

On top of that Aston has made huge changes from the AMR22 to the new model, so Bahrain was also a step into the unknown for the engineers. The absence of Lance Stroll, who would have brought all that knowledge of the previous car, didn’t help.

“I think we’re still discovering things on the car,” said Alonso. “Obviously, last year, Aston Martin was struggling a little bit with that car. We changed philosophy completely, 95% of the car this year is new.

“So I think we are just experimenting a little bit with different set-ups and different things in the last few days. And hopefully we put it all together.

“But we will need few races really to exploit the full potential of the car, because there is not physically time in the car with only three days to really go through all the test items that we want.”

Crucially the car seems to have no obvious vices, and its consistency helped Alonso over long runs during the test.

“The car was easy to drive all three days, there are no nasty surprises or nothing really from a driver point of view is annoying while driving. That obviously for the long run, it’s always a plus, because you can drive consistently lap after lap, understanding what the car is asking.

“But it’s the only testing, so we don’t know how much people are pushing. For us is just about knowing the car. I think this car requires a very different set-up direction from last year, just because the concept of the car is so different that we need more time to optimise it.”

Indeed the car is so different that Aston has in effect had to throw away last year’s operating manual.

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Alonso says new car has brought no surprises

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“I think so far the car was responding well for the set-up changes,” said Alonso. “It was doing what we were expecting. The only thing is that the baseline set-up from last year is pretty much useless, because we operate in a very different window with this car.

“So that’s very challenging now for the engineers, but they were very brave, very creative with different ideas in the last few days, and we found new ways to set up the car. We have very talented people in the team, so I trust them, and we will get more and more productive.

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“The car felt good all three days, we’ve been experimenting a little bit with very different routes on set-ups. And we found always positives, these new routes. So there is a clear indication that we need to change philosophy and many things on this car, compared to last year’s car.

“And that, obviously is a concern in a way, because we will need couple of races to optimise everything.”

Driver and team are keeping a lid on expectations for now. Alpine had a quick car at a few races last year, but it’s been a long time since Alonso was able to aim regularly for the top six, or even better, in qualifying. For a man who has logged just one podium in his last six F1 seasons – third in Qatar in 2021 – that must be an enticing prospect.

“I came back into the sport just because these regulations maybe give us the opportunity to fight for the competitive positions,” he said after the test. “When I stopped in 2018, it was just Mercedes, Bottas and Hamilton winning every race.

“Now hopefully, someone can stop the Red Bull even if it is very difficult. But we will make one step in 2023. And hopefully another step in ’24.

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Alonso: “Everyone in the team, is doing extra, because they know that I’m doing it as well”

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“There are no miracles in F1. Last year, Aston Martin was seventh in the constructors’ championship. So we need to see what we can do, but we don’t want to be seventh. I think it’s unrealistic to think that we will be close to the top three. At the same time, step-by-step.”

Perhaps a little bit of that Alonso wow factor could help to make the difference as he pushes the team on.

“I give my 100%. I ask the same to the team, I’m the first one coming in the morning and the last one leaving in the evening. So everyone in the team, I think is doing extra, because they know that I’m doing it as well.”

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