The Italian Grand Prix at Monza proved to be a tough outing for Fernando Alonso, who finished just outside the points in 11th place. Despite a promising start that saw him overtake Haas driver Nico Hulkenberg, Alonso’s efforts ultimately fell short, leaving him disappointed after a race where he seemed poised to secure a stronger finish.
Alonso admits Aston Martin are ‘doing something really wrong’ as he misses out on Monza points by 0.2s https://t.co/h6glYlY6sI Fernando Alonso shares his frustration as Aston Martin’s misstep costs him points at Monza by a mere 0.2s. Despite a valiant ef… https://t.co/h6glYlY6sI
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Throughout much of the race, Alonso was comfortably running within the points. However, his pace began to fade as the race wore on, allowing competitors Alex Albon and Kevin Magnussen to overtake him in the closing laps. Reflecting on his performance, Alonso expressed his frustration, saying, “Disappointed because we did a very good start, overtook Nico [Hulkenberg], and then very good strategy with the two stops, we undercut Alex [Albon] and were running P9 comfortably.”
The turning point came after his second pit stop when Alonso struggled to catch up with the drivers ahead of him. “But at the end with the second stop, we could not catch quick enough Alex and we finished a second behind him and one-tenth behind Magnussen so for one second, two positions [lost] is costly and painful,” he added.
Adding to his frustration, Alonso narrowly missed out on capitalizing on Kevin Magnussen’s 10-second penalty in the final laps, which could have allowed him to finish in the points. Instead, he ended up just shy of his goal, missing the opportunity to score valuable points for himself and Aston Martin.
This setback at Monza comes during a season that had seen Alonso performing well in the races leading up to the Italian Grand Prix. With Aston Martin currently holding fifth place in the constructors’ championship, 40 points ahead of their nearest rival, the team is taking a closer look at its performance as the season continues. Alonso remains hopeful for improvement, saying, “I hope we understand things that we are doing wrong, as definitely, we are doing something really wrong and we get better for Baku.”
Meanwhile, Alonso’s teammate Lance Stroll also struggled at Monza, starting towards the back of the grid and finishing last. Stroll admitted the car was not competitive this weekend, stating, “[The pace] was as expected, just not competitive this weekend.”
📰: Fernando Alonso expresses frustration after finishing P11 in the Italian GP, calling it a “painful” and “anonymous” race for Aston Martin. Despite pushing the car to its limits, Alonso highlighted the team’s ongoing struggle with tire management and lack of downforce. He… pic.twitter.com/VIgf1LaFRf
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Looking ahead, Aston Martin is optimistic about making improvements for the upcoming race in Baku. Adding to the anticipation, rumors have been circulating that Adrian Newey, one of Formula One’s most esteemed engineers, is set to join the team. An official announcement is expected ahead of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. Newey, who has been instrumental in securing 12 drivers’ championships and 13 constructors’ titles, is rumored to be leaving Red Bull in 2025 after nearly two decades with the team. His potential move to Aston Martin could provide a significant boost to the team’s car development under the leadership of Lawrence Stroll, who has been strategically enhancing the team’s capabilities by acquiring top talent.
As Aston Martin navigates these challenges and potential changes, both the team and its drivers remain focused on improving their performance and climbing higher in the standings.
Key Points:
i. Fernando Alonso finished 11th at the Italian Grand Prix, narrowly missing out on points.
ii. Alonso was running well but lost positions after a second pit stop and couldn’t capitalize on a penalty ahead.
iii. Teammate Lance Stroll also struggled, finishing last due to a lack of competitiveness in the car.
iv. Aston Martin hopes to improve for the next race in Baku, with Alonso optimistic about correcting performance issues.
v. Rumors suggest Adrian Newey, a top F1 engineer, might join Aston Martin, potentially boosting their development efforts.
Lap Fu Ip – Reprinted with permission of Whatfinger News
