The Aston Martin is fast. Yes, this is a phrase that could not be said at the beginning of 2022, but it is a reality right now. At the United States Grand Prix both Sebastian Vettel What Lance Stroll They were competitive throughout the weekend. Since the free practice on Friday.
Something that has surprised the team itself. This was what Vettel said after being seventh in Austin after the penalty to Fernando Alonso: “It was a surprise to be faster than the McLarens and the Alpines. We’ve taken good care of the tyres, but I don’t think it’s the main factor.”
“Obviously, without the slow pitstop we would have scored double the points. In return, at least I had a fun race, and we were able to recover some points. Unfortunately, we didn’t have the pace on the straights to overtake the rivals comfortably, so I had to try something unusual, whether it was braking or unusual points. I did it, and it worked. I had fun, I had very close battles,” said the four-time Formula 1 champion.
In the team they celebrated Vettel’s position and his driving. Tom McCulloughAston Martin’s director of performance, even spoke of “magic”: “The car was performing and then you realize it made the car a bit more competitive. Both drivers had great pace at the start of the race, so it was good being up front, but yes, in general, he has regained his magic and is enjoying himself”.
The key to that improvement has been simply “push”: “Conceptually the car was very different for Barcelona. From that point and going back to the development path that we had explored over the winter, we just put our heads down and pushed.”
“That was the ground mainly, but even after that we worked on the front wing, the ground, the rear wing and doing the most competitive car. That’s what we’ve been doing, stirring. That’s what it’s all about,” McCullough said.
The “surprise” for Fernando
Aston Martin expressed his “surprise” at being faster than McLaren and Alpine. Something that, sure, Alonso pointed out. The Asturian is closing the current season with the French and surely looking askance at everything that his future teammates do in Formula 1.
And he has reason to be optimistic. When he signed, the team was ninth in the constructors’ standings. Is now seventh, just one point behind Alfa Romeo’s sixth place. The final table will be essential for the economic income of the next season.
