by VALERIO BARRETTA
Alonso rejects Aston Martin: AMR24 lower than expected
At the dawn of the season, when the winter tests had just concluded, Fernando Alonso has already issued the first sentences. After stating between the lines that 19 drivers only think about finishing second due to the superiority of the Verstappen-Red Bull package, the two-time world champion did not even spare his team.
If last year in the Bahrain tests Aston Martin stood out, with a tire degradation equal to or slightly lower than that of the Red Bull, in the three days just concluded the AMR24 did not steal the attention neither on the flying lap nor (above all) on the race pace.
Alonso's words
“This year I don't think we will be as fast as last yearthere will be many more eyes on us and it will be more difficult to surprise“, commented the Spaniard. “The new car is better than last year's, that's a fact. We have corrected some things and made progress in other aspects. The problem, however, is that the scrum package in midfield is at a very high level“.
An absolute step forward, a relative step backwards?
Already in 2023 Aston Martin was unable to maintain the levels of the beginning of the season, suffering the comeback of Ferrari, Mercedes and even McLaren (started from the bottom of the grid) and demonstrating difficulties in terms of development. Towards the end of the season the AMR23 recovered, but not to the point of at least regaining fourth place in the constructors' championship. If the indications from the tests were confirmed, the risk would be that the Silverstone team – despite the improvements to the car – would fall back to the “right side” of the standings, considering the growth of Racing Bulls.
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