Aston Martin went somewhat under the radar during the British GP, being removed from the intense battle at the front. However, they secured a reasonable result, with Stroll finishing 7th ahead of Alonso in 8th. The AMR24 showed reasonable pace in Silverstone, the final race before a crucial upgrade package due for Hungary.
The last twelve months have obviously been challenging for the British outfit. Not only did Aston experience a dramatic decline at the end of 2023, but the team has also lost ground in the opening phases of 2024.
Alonso regularly fought for the top six positions in Bahrain, Jeddah, Australia, and even China. The AMR24 was especially competitive in qualifying, capable of fighting with Ferrari, McLaren, and Mercedes on Saturdays. Whilst race pace was still lacking, there seemed to be something to work with.
Unfortunately for Mike Krack’s team, the upgrades introduced in Imola, once again, made the car slower. They also compromised Alonso and Stroll’s drivability.
The good news for Aston Martin is that performance was much better in Silverstone. Older specifications were put back on the AMR24, providing better overall performance than the recent upgrades.
Fondo della AMR24 aggiornate a Suzuka
Alonso: Hungary is a pivotal round for Aston Martin
However, the real test for the team will be the next round in Hungary:
“Hopefully, starting from Hungary, it can be a new Championship for us,” were Alonso’s words a few weeks ago.
He reiterated this point after an encouraging British GP: “We had pace throughout the race, which is the important thing. We can improve, and hopefully, we can do it in Hungary.”
Aston Martin have gone through several ‘resets’ since the 2023 summer break. Despite occasional moments of promise, these upgrades have generally failed to rectify the team’s downward trajectory.
Having already spent a significant portion of the team’s budget on the Imola upgrades, there is no margin for error with the incoming Hungary package.
If the team cannot take a substantive step forward at the Hungaroring, their prospects for the rest of 2024 – and indeed, 2025 – are bleak.
