Aston Martin is hitting some speed bumps this season.
- Last year, they were the surprise team with Fernando Alonso grabbing eight podiums.
- This year, they’ve fallen back to the midfield despite upgrades.
- They even faced a bouncing issue after the Imola upgrades.
- Things are looking up though, with plans to fix problems and move forward.
Aston Martin, last year’s surprise sensation with Fernando Alonso securing eight podium finishes, isn’t having the same luck this season. After impressive performances that seemed to promise more glory, they’ve dropped back into the midfield.
Early in the season, they couldn’t make it to the podium, only managing a best showing of fifth place at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. They introduced a major upgrade package at Imola, featuring a new front wing, floor, and bodywork, hoping to boost their performance. However, these upgrades didn’t meet expectations, leading to unexpected issues, including the notorious bouncing problem.
According to Michael Schmidt, Aston Martin wasn’t alone in facing these problems. Ferrari and other teams also dealt with similar issues. Despite team boss Mike Krack’s confidence in the upgrades, saying they were a step forward, the team only scored 16 points over the next four races. They then decided to step back and reassess their strategies after the Silverstone race.
At Silverstone, both Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso managed to score points, finishing seventh and eighth respectively. Michael Schmidt mentioned in his podcast that Aston Martin had reverted to an older underbody design along with some new parts to try to fix their performance issues. He noted, ‘The team is lost and has gone a step too far, now they have to take one step back and slowly work their way back up.’
The good news is that both the data and drivers are on the same page about what needs to be done. Performance director Tom McCullough pointed out, ‘The drivers want to be up the front of the grid – we know that – so bringing updates to the car that don’t quite give the relative performance that you’re wanting, the drivers aren’t going to be as happy.’ While the journey back to the top will take time, the team is optimistic. They are currently fifth in the Constructors’ Championship with 68 points, 37 points ahead of VCARB.
Aston Martin faces challenges but remains hopeful for a comeback.
Source: Planetf1
