There is no reason to panic at Aston Martin yet after the horror test days in Barcelona and Bahrain. The team faced one setback after another during the pre-season, and was unable to test even five hundred laps in total. Nevertheless, Fernando Alonso also maintains confidence in his team: ‘Adrian Newey hasn’t forgotten everything in one year’.
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The test days were anything but flawless for the Aston Martin team. For instance, the British team arrived late for the private tests in Barcelona, and in Bahrain, it struggled with several technical defects in the engine and gearbox, among other things. On the final Friday morning at the Bahrain International Circuit, according to Honda, the engine could not yet perform long runs, leading Aston Martin to decide to end their test days early.
The problems at Aston Martin coincide with both the first year of the partnership with engine supplier Honda and Adrian Newey’s debut as team principal. Both Aston Martin drivers, Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso, however, have full confidence that the top designer will help their team get back on track. “(Newey, ed.) is just obsessed with how we can get more performance out of the car,” Stroll even told various media outlets. “He is generally a great leader, who just tries to get the maximum out of everyone in their individual roles. It’s inspiring to be part of that and it’s certainly a privilege to work with him.”
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Alonso maintains confidence
Alonso – who has driven with Honda engines in his cars before in the past – also still has full confidence in his team. “I think so, especially regarding the chassis,” said the two-time world champion. “After more than thirty years in which Adrian has dominated the sport, it’s not like he has forgotten everything in one year. I don’t know where we stand now in terms of the chassis and the grip level, but even if we are not at one hundred percent yet, we will be soon. We will solve every problem.” Regarding the power unit, however, there is more work to be done according to Alonso: “We have to take the time to understand where we stand, and if we are behind, we have to improve as quickly as possible.”
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