In the build-up to the Bahrain Grand Prix, Fernando Alonso of Aston Martin has articulated a mixture of satisfaction and surprise at the team’s performance during Thursday’s practice sessions. Alonso, who clinched third place in the second practice session, closely trailed behind Mercedes drivers Lewis Hamilton and George Russell, marking a promising start to the weekend.
Hamilton led the charge with the day’s fastest lap, but Alonso’s performance, just two-tenths off Hamilton’s pace and merely eight hundredths behind Russell, has sparked interest in Aston Martin’s potential this season. Despite finishing fifth in the initial practice, Alonso’s subsequent surge up the timesheets has left him and the team cautiously optimistic.
Reflecting on the practice under the floodlights, which offered conditions more representative of the race.
“It felt okay. Obviously, we don’t know what the others are doing, we just complete our programme.”
Alonso stated
He acknowledged the team’s familiarity with the tyres from testing and emphasized their focus on optimizing performance with the soft tires in the second practice session. This strategy, combined with successful setup adjustments, has left the team in a hopeful stance for the qualifying round.
Fernando Alonso dusting off his start routine 👏
— Formula 1 (@F1) February 29, 2024
He's had some monster getaways in the past 💪 Which one is your fave? 🤔#F1 #BahrainGP pic.twitter.com/eZJx4SLObI
Alonso warned, however, that the team still has ground to cover in terms of performance, suggesting that the positive practice results should be tempered with realism.
“I remain calm. I am happy with the set-up changes we did today, I think we still need to find more performance,”
he remarked, hinting at a strategic approach to the season’s opening.
After a promising start to the 2023 season, Aston Martin saw a decline in form, concluding the year behind leading teams such as Mercedes, Ferrari, and McLaren in the constructors’ championship. This backdrop makes Alonso’s current performance all the more significant, although he admits the true competitive landscape will become clearer in qualifying.
Learn how you can enjoy 2024 Formula 1 online streaming in different countries:
Pick your country:
- Germany, Ireland, Spain, Netherlands, Poland, Norway, Austria,
- Switzerland, Croatia, Sweden, Denmark, Czech, Scotland, Portugal, Finland
Lance Stroll, Alonso’s teammate, also showed promise by finishing within the top 10 in the second practice session. Stroll echoed Alonso’s cautious optimism, noting an improvement in the car’s performance and expressing eagerness for the upcoming sessions.
As the Aston Martin team looks ahead, the focus shifts to the final practice and the eagerly anticipated first qualifying session of 2024, where the true pace and potential of the teams will start to unfold. Alonso’s blend of happiness and surprise has certainly set the stage for an intriguing race weekend in Bahrain.
