Formula 1

Aston Martin to Challenge Top Teams in 2023 F1 Season, Say Ferrari and Mercedes Drivers

Published

3 weeks ago

02/03/2023

Aston Martin to Challenge Ferrari Mercedes F1 2023

Aston Martin poised to shake up the 2023 F1 season with impressive pre-season test and Fernando Alonso’s addition to the team, say Ferrari and Mercedes drivers

Ferrari and Mercedes drivers have stated that Aston Martin is expected to be a strong contender at the forefront of the 2023 Formula 1 field, as they begin the season “fully in the fight.” The impressive performance of Aston Martin’s AMR23 during the pre-season test in Bahrain has raised expectations of a significant improvement in their ranking, especially with the addition of Fernando Alonso to the team.

Aston Martin has finished in seventh place for the past two seasons. Despite the team’s reluctance to reveal too much after their impressive pre-season test, their competitors believe that Aston Martin will be a strong contender at the front of the pack.

When asked if he thinks Aston Martin will be a serious contender at the forefront of the field from the first race, Carlos Sainz responded positively by stating, “We certainly do.” Sainz then proceeded to elaborate that rumors about the team’s impressive performance had been circulating since December, and their figures from wind tunnel and simulator testing were highly promising.

He also noted that the team appeared to be having trouble containing their excitement about their progress.

Sainz further commented that Aston Martin’s performance during the Bahrain test confirmed that they are indeed a strong contender among the top teams.

He believes that this is excellent news for Formula 1 and for Fernando Alonso, who has recently joined the Aston Martin team. Sainz expressed his excitement at the prospect of having another team in the lead battle, which should make the competition even more thrilling.

Charles Leclerc, Sainz’s Ferrari teammate, echoed similar thoughts about Aston Martin’s prospects in the 2023 season, saying that he believes the team will be fighting at the top.

Meanwhile, Mercedes driver George Russell anticipates that there will be an exciting battle for second place between Ferrari and Aston Martin, with Red Bull likely to be in a league of their own.

Lewis Hamilton, Russell’s teammate at Mercedes, also commented on Aston Martin’s potential improvement, focusing on the positive impact it could have on the sport.

He believes that having more teams competing at the front will make the championship more exciting and bring more attention to Formula 1. Hamilton sees this as a positive step forward for the sport and looks forward to the increased competition.

Hamilton expressed his happiness at seeing Aston Martin make a significant improvement in their performance, saying, “Firstly, I’m really happy to see that Aston has taken such a step forward.” He acknowledged that based on what they know so far, the team is expected to be fully competitive and among the top contenders.

Hamilton is excited to see how the competition will unfold and how Aston Martin will perform throughout the season.

Hamilton acknowledged that during testing, it can be challenging to determine the fuel loads and various other factors affecting each team’s performance.

However, based on what he observed during the test, Aston Martin appears to be in a very strong position. He believes that the team could be fighting at the front of the pack, but he also mentioned that it is challenging to determine where each team stands in relation to one another.

Nevertheless, Hamilton expressed his hope that there will be more than just a few teams competing for the top spot, and he sees this increased competition as a positive development for the sport.

Max Verstappen, the two-time defending champion and widely regarded as the pre-season favorite for 2023, acknowledged that Aston Martin looked very positive during the pre-season test. He also commented on the team’s desire to be at the front of the pack, saying,

“If you look at the team, they have a real desire of getting to the front.” However, Verstappen wasn’t as definitive as some of his rivals when it came to Aston Martin’s prospects for the season.

Verstappen believes that Aston Martin’s hiring of talented people is a positive sign, and he is curious to see where the team will stand not only in the immediate future but also in the long term.

He acknowledged that Aston Martin had a strong start, but he was careful not to make any definitive statements about the team’s prospects for the season.

Fernando Alonso, who is set to race alongside Lance Stroll, downplayed expectations when asked about the potential for him to return to the lead fight in Formula 1 after a decade.

Alonso emphasized that it is difficult to predict where Aston Martin will stand in the competitive field and that the team’s performance will become more apparent as the season progresses.

Alonso admitted that he has no idea where Aston Martin will stand in terms of their position in the competitive field.

He emphasized that the goal with this car was to make a step forward, and he believes that the team achieved that goal based on the encouraging results from the test and the overall feeling of the car. However, he also pointed out that this is just the beginning of the season, and the car will change dramatically throughout the year.

Aston Martin plans to change two-thirds of the car during the season to continue to develop and improve it. Alonso sees this as a good baseline to build upon, with the aim of fighting for something bigger next year. He emphasized the importance of taking it step by step and not getting ahead of themselves.

When asked about the possibility of a podium finish at the Bahrain Grand Prix and what he would say to fans who were expecting it, Alonso was cautious and did not want to make any promises.

He believed that it would be difficult for Aston Martin to make such a significant leap over the winter and achieve a podium finish. Alonso shrugged off the possibility, suggesting that fans should temper their expectations and not get too carried away too soon.

Alonso explained that their focus is not on achieving a podium finish at the Bahrain Grand Prix. Instead, the team’s priority is to keep learning about the car, which is entirely new, and the package they have developed.

With only two days of testing on the car, there is still much to learn and understand. Alonso emphasized that they will give their best in the race and take each step as it comes, without any specific expectations for podium finishes or other significant achievements.

Alonso acknowledged that last year, the top three teams were in a league of their own, often lapping even the fourth-fastest team. Only seven cars finished on the lead lap, indicating the significant gap between the top teams and the rest of the field.

He believes that it is unrealistic to expect Aston Martin to make such a significant leap in just one winter. Despite the team’s progress and positive test results, Alonso emphasized the importance of staying grounded, maintaining perspective, and continuing to work on the solid foundation they have built.

Aston Martin to Challenge Top Teams in 2023 F1 Season, Say Ferrari and Mercedes Drivers Aston Martin to Challenge Top Teams in 2023 F1 Season, Say Ferrari and Mercedes Drivers Aston Martin to Challenge Top Teams in 2023 F1 Season, Say Ferrari and Mercedes Drivers Aston Martin to Challenge Top Teams in 2023 F1 Season, Say Ferrari and Mercedes Drivers