Coming out of pre-season testing forward of the 2023 Formula 1 season, expectations started to develop concerning Aston Martin. Despite the absence of driver Lance Stroll resulting from a coaching damage, and despite an early crimson flag for reserve driver Felipe Drugovich within the very first observe session, the crew and their 2023 challenger, the AMR23, appeared like one of many strongest groups all through three days of testing in Bahrain.
Their success over these three days led some to consider that Aston Martin may make a push for fourth within the Constructors’ Championship when all is claimed and completed.
After the season-opening occasion? Fourth is likely to be the ground for this crew.
It was a dream begin for Aston Martin on the Bahrain Grand Prix Sunday, as Fernando Alonso completed in third place, and Stroll — shaking off his damage and the following wrist surgical procedure together with a damaged toe — completed in sixth.
For Alonso, it was his first podium for the reason that 2021 Qatar Grand Prix. Stroll’s sixth-place end was his greatest for the reason that 2022 Singapore Grand Prix.
Speaking after the Bahrain Grand Prix, Alonso himself appeared shocked by the crew’s begin to the 12 months. “It’s a perfect start for this project. We didn’t expect to be that competitive. I think the aim in 2023 was to get in the mix with the midfield, maybe leading that midfield and get close to the top three teams eventually.”
“Even a podium maybe was not on the radar in 2023, and we found ourselves with the second best car today in Bahrain, of the whole weekend, just behind Red Bull. This is a little bit of a surprise, but we are extremely proud, happy with the job done at Silverstone in the factory,” added Alonso. “A big congratulations to everyone. Let’s enjoy this moment and build from here hopefully a good 2023 campaign, and get closer and closer to the top guys.”
The dream begin appeared not possible early within the race, when Stroll drove into the again of Alonso in Turn 4 on the opening lap of the race. That noticed Alonso, who certified in fifth, slide again into sixth place. The collision additionally known as into query Stroll’s AMR23, and whether or not he was having a braking downside.
However, each drivers shook off the early incident and commenced to energy their manner up the sector. Perhaps one of the best racing of the night, on an evening the place Red Bull’s Max Verstappen powered his approach to a 1-2 lockout for the crew, as Sergio Perez completed in second behind him, got here late within the race as Alonso and Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes battled for place. It was a battle that Alonso finally received, and when Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc retired early, it opened the door for Alonso’s podium end.
This dream begin may need the crew — and us within the media — recalibrating their expectations for Aston Martin this season. The crew leaves Bahrain and heads to Jeddah for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix sitting in second place, behind Red Bull on the high of the Constructors’ desk:
But Sunday’s end at Sakhir has Alonso beginning to consider that greater issues could possibly be potential.
“Let’s see. I had this same feeling from testing, like too good to be true, and you’re always expecting that… you will get a step back and you will get back to reality. But it seems real, the performance,” Alonso mentioned after the Bahrain Grand Prix. “Let’s see in Jeddah. I’m curious to go to Jeddah and Australia – very different circuits. I think in Bahrain we were strong in things that maybe we don’t find in Jeddah and Australia. If we are strong in the next two races, I think we will have a very good 2023.”