who could have imagined not too many months ago Aston Martin would not only be competition direct from mercedes in f1 but it would be ahead. That Fernando Alonso’s team, who in the summer of 2022 was just ahead of Williams, was going to be able to put up a fight and beat the Germans in such a short space of time. But if, they have done.
They have done a miracle. Or, rather, they have done a great job at the factory to give the two-time champion and Lance Stroll a top car. In every sense. Easy to drive, nice, fast, reliable… and it has four podiums in five races. That already in Bahrain he surpassed what the team should be with stronger Mercedes engine.
Because they do not stop being a client team. They don’t stop being an engine ‘buyer’ team to a supplier. One that has, or wants to have, a car capable of winning races and titles but that right now cannot with Aston Martin.
So there are many voices that already put those from Silverstone with Honda by 2026, to be the Japanese team in F1, and thus stop being just a customer. To get out of the shadow of Mercedes. To prevent the Germans from doing ‘something’ with the power units they are supplied with.
Zero worry at Aston Martin
No, they are not going to give you ones that break just looking at them. Nor can they give them what they have to throw away… but they can give them a slightly less powerful version than the one they have for their ‘starting’ team. Yes, it is an option. It’s something to think about… and also a problem that worries Aston Martin zero.
This is what Dan Fallows said in words for ‘RacingNews365’: “We are very happy. We have a gearbox, rear suspension, power unit… I can’t find any reason now to stop having all that Mercedes gives us”.
“As engineers, obviously, we solve the limitations that we have… but I can’t find anything coming from them that reduces our performance,” he insists.
And he makes it more than clear: “Does it prevent us from achieving the goals we want? No, absolutely. We are very happy”.
“From my point of view, in terms of engines and gearboxes, we are very satisfied. It’s gratifying not to have to worry about that,” Fallows explains.
And in 2024…
So yes, Alonso can rest easy with his engines both torque this year and for a 2024 that promises, and a lot, for Aston Martin. As much or more as this same 2023.
