Fernando Alonso explains why he is less competitive this season

Fernando Alonso had a smile in the press conference room last weekend in Hungary. The Asturian, given his tanned complexion, has clearly taken advantage of the sun since Silverstone, as much as the sporting prowess of his fellow footballers (winner of the Euro) and his younger brother Carlos Alcaraz, the young Iberian having won his 2nd Wimbledon and its 4th Grand Slam tournament in tennis.

Sportingly, however, the last few weeks have not really led to celebration among Aston Martin, since the performance of the AMR24 is clearly not improving. Spring 2023 hit, the Silverstone team allowed Fernando Alonso to score 8 podiums last year, without however managing to maintain his level of performance in the development race. The first part of the 2024 season ended up confirming the process of returning to the ranks.

Aston Martin, thwarted dynamics

"It's hard (the last few weeks), admitted Fernando Alonso. We experienced ups and downs like everyone else. We started off pretty strong. Over the first 4 or 5 rounds, we were rather competitive, especially in qualifying, playing close to Mercedes, and even McLaren Sometimes. But then we plummeted in the race. The last 5 weekends have been very difficult. We have to improve, raise our level of play and return to higher standards.”

Fernando Alonso, tanned like never before in Hungary. © Eric Alonso / DPPI

And the Iberian continues, as to the causes of the torments of his stable: “It’s quite difficult to get the car in the right window at the moment. We have difficulty maximizing potential. In Barcelona, ​​we started the weekend on the wrong foot. We were never able to recover from our bad FP1. In Austria, with the sprint format, we only had one session to adjust the car and we didn't optimize either. At Silverstone, we had a more normal weekend. The cool conditions undoubtedly helped us.” 

If collectively, the year is complicated with only four double entries in the points since Bahrain, it seems that Fernando Alonso himself is experiencing more difficulties on an individual level than last year, when he dominated his teammate Lance stroll head and shoulders. Since the start of the season, he “only” leads 8-5 in qualifying against the Canadian, and has even been beaten three times consecutively between Miami and Monaco. Same thing in racing. If the Spaniard has almost double the points compared to Stroll in the championship, the dynamic is neutral with a 4-3 for Lance Stroll over the last seven Grands Prix.

Fernando Alonso, a problem of confidence

So what is happening to the Asturian Bull? Should we be worried about him? “There are quite a few things, the Spaniard opened, in a burst of laudable sincerity. The car is not easy to drive, it is sometimes unpredictable and this automatically takes away confidence from the driver. When you can't trust the car, when it doesn't behave the same way from one corner or one lap to the next, it's difficult to push. This inconstancy is not pleasant when you are behind the wheel. I’m having more trouble this year than in previous years.”

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—Aston Martin Aramco F1 Team (@AstonMartinF1) July 17, 2024

The confession is surprising coming from a boy who is clearly one of the most competitive on the grid. He also explains that his habit of playing at the forefront naturally undermines him when it comes to fighting for small points on Sunday. “The margins are so small right now to score points… sometimes you make bets on strategy, or you take even more risk at the start or on the setup.”

Objective 2025, already…

“Sometimes, instead of making simple adjustments before qualifying, you change the whole car thinking that the car in FP3 won't be able to score more than one or two points. When you are used to fighting for the front positions and you finally fight for a P9 or P10, you sometimes try things in order to get a top 5 for example, even if it means losing points. This is my main difficulty this year.” 

The 42-year-old does not expect miracles in the second half of the season, but hopes that his team will use the last twelve rounds to get their heads back in place for next season. “Our goal and my personal desire is that we find the right direction in terms of development to allow us to go through the winter with more confidence in what we are doing and have a more normal 2025. For 2024, the top teams are probably already out of reach. We have to focus on our development and our understanding of the car to come back stronger last year.". You can have two world championship titles and be 43 years old in 11 days and still have a hunger for victory intact. This is undoubtedly the best lesson given by Fernando Alonso in recent years.

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