Fernando Alonso sees a lot of potential in the Aston Martin despite a difficult qualifying. The Spaniard qualified seventeenth for the Australian Grand Prix, but was able to collect data for the development of the car during the session. “We gained about two seconds today compared to yesterday,” said Alonso.
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The Aston Martin cars have covered few meters this weekend. In the first part of qualifying, Fernando Alonso was still 2.5 seconds behind the fastest time, though the gap was halved compared to Friday. Because the Honda engine finally worked reliably during the second and third free practice sessions, the team was able to complete more laps and collect valuable data. “I was finally able to get out on track and try different things with the setup,” Alonso said in the paddock.
‘Two seconds gained’
According to the two-time world champion, there is still a lot of potential in the new car. “We gained about two seconds today, simply because we were finally on track. There is definitely a lot of potential in the car, but we need more laps. At the moment, everything still feels very fragile.”
The Spaniard emphasizes the hard work of the team. The mechanics have been trying to solve the problems in recent weeks. “When you are on track and driving among other cars, it still feels better than being dead last. Maybe that’s enough to spark a bit of motivation in the garage. As a driver, it is also our job to keep the team’s morale high in difficult times,” the two-time world champion concluded.
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‘Stop immediately’
Questions remain about what Aston Martin will do during Sunday’s race. For instance, the team only has two batteries left and there is no extra stock at the Honda factory. As a result, there is a chance the team will have to race cautiously. “We have a shortage of parts, that’s no secret,” said Alonso. “China is next week, so hopefully we can finish almost the entire race. If there is a sign that something is going wrong, we must stop immediately to prevent major damage.”
The biggest problem with the AMR26 is the engine, and that is also no secret according to Alonso. “Everyone knows the biggest problem is the engine. We lack power and reliability. In the winter we did few laps and now we have a shortage of batteries and parts. The engines need to be improved and Aston Martin is trying to help Honda as much as possible.”
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