Alonso Surprised Strong Ferrari Remains Behind in Championship

In a candid assessment of the Formula 1 season, veteran driver Fernando Alonso expressed his perplexity regarding Ferrari’s position in the constructors’ championship. Despite consistently demonstrating the raw pace of a front-running car, the Scuderia found themselves trailing Aston Martin, a scenario Alonso believes should not be the case given Ferrari’s competitive package. His comments came during the build-up to the Italian Grand Prix at Monza, a weekend that underscored both Ferrari’s potential and Aston Martin’s current limitations.

Ferrari’s Puzzling Performance: Strong Car, Trailing Points

The Italian Grand Prix weekend at Monza provided a vivid illustration of Ferrari’s blistering pace, with Carlos Sainz Jnr securing a hard-fought pole position and Charles Leclerc lining up third on the grid. This strong qualifying performance positioned the Maranello-based team seven places ahead of the leading Aston Martin of Fernando Alonso. Yet, despite this on-track prowess, Ferrari found themselves 14 points behind Aston Martin in the Constructors’ Championship with nine rounds remaining in the season. Alonso, who has been instrumental in securing all seven of Aston Martin’s podium finishes this year, openly stated that his former team, Ferrari, should unequivocally be ahead.

Speaking to media, including RaceFans, after Saturday’s qualifying session at the iconic “Temple of Speed,” Alonso articulated his viewpoint. “Ferrari, they’ve been very strong this year, and they are still behind us in the constructors’ championship, and it is difficult to explain the reason why,” he remarked. He emphasized Ferrari’s recurring ability to snatch pole positions and front-row starts: “They’ve been in the first row of the grid in Bahrain, first row of the grid in Saudi, pole position in Baku. They have an incredible car – pole position here – and they are still behind.” This recurring theme of high-peak performance not translating into consistent championship points has been a defining characteristic of Ferrari’s season, sparking debate among fans and pundits alike about strategy, race execution, and reliability.

Aston Martin’s Unwavering Consistency Amidst Challenges

In stark contrast to Ferrari’s intermittent brilliance, Aston Martin’s strength throughout the 2023 season has been its remarkable consistency. Alonso highlighted this as the bedrock of their championship standing. “Our strength has been always to score points – in the good weekends, in the bad weekends,” he asserted. This strategic approach, focusing on maximizing points on every race day, regardless of the car’s inherent suitability for the circuit, has proven highly effective. Even on weekends where the team struggled to find optimal performance, like at Monza, the objective remained clear: “It seems that this is a bad weekend, so let’s keep our focus to score points every Sunday.” This commitment to relentless point-scoring has allowed Aston Martin to punch above its weight in the championship standings, capitalizing on the missteps and inconsistencies of its rivals.

The team’s ability to consistently convert challenging race conditions into valuable championship points speaks volumes about their operational efficiency, strategic acumen, and the sheer talent of their lead driver. While Ferrari often showcases raw speed, Aston Martin has demonstrated a more robust all-around performance across varying circumstances, allowing them to accumulate a healthier points tally even when their car might not be the absolute quickest on a given Sunday. This steady accumulation is often key in the long game of a Constructors’ Championship, where reliability and strategic consistency can often outweigh flashes of individual brilliance.

Monza: A Track Unfriendly to Aston Martin’s Strengths

The Italian Grand Prix at Monza presented a significant challenge for Aston Martin, as anticipated by the team. Both Fernando Alonso and his teammate Lance Stroll recorded their lowest qualifying positions of the season, with Alonso starting tenth and Stroll, unfortunately, at the very back of the grid. Alonso openly conceded that the specific characteristics of the fastest circuit on the calendar were fundamentally at odds with the design philosophy of the Aston Martin AMR23. “I think the track characteristics for sure are not friendly with our car,” he explained.

Monza, with its long straights and minimal high-speed corners, places a premium on aerodynamic efficiency and low drag. “It’s a very efficient track in terms of aerodynamics. Drag level is very important here: Only six corners, the rest is just flat-out on the straights,” Alonso elaborated. This emphasis on straight-line speed over high-downforce cornering capabilities exposed a fundamental weakness in the Aston Martin package. The team had been aware of this potential hurdle heading into the weekend. “We knew that it could be a tough weekend, and we confirmed that feeling in FP1 and FP2 and this morning,” he said. The qualifying estimations for Aston Martin were between P9 and P12, and Alonso’s P10 placed them squarely within that predicted range, indicating “no surprises” for the team.

Qualifying Struggles and Strategic Acceptance

The challenging nature of the Monza circuit for the Aston Martin AMR23 was evident throughout the practice and qualifying sessions. The car, which thrives on higher downforce tracks and complex corner sequences, simply couldn’t extract the same level of performance on Monza’s unique layout. This resulted in a difficult qualifying outing for both drivers. While Alonso managed to scrape into Q3, albeit at the lower end, Lance Stroll’s session was even more problematic, leading to a P20 start. This collective underperformance was a rare sight for Aston Martin in a season that has largely exceeded expectations.

Despite the frustration, there was an air of pragmatic acceptance within the team. Alonso’s comments reflected a strategic mindset: understanding the car’s limitations on specific track types and focusing on damage limitation. He emphasized the need to remain focused on the primary goal of scoring points, even under adverse conditions. “It’s going to be a tough race tomorrow, and we have to still score points even if it’s a difficult one,” he affirmed. This resilience and commitment to maximizing every opportunity, even when facing inherent disadvantages, has been a hallmark of Aston Martin’s successful season, allowing them to maintain their competitive edge in the constructors’ battle.

Looking Ahead: Optimism for Future Circuits

Despite the struggles at Monza, Fernando Alonso maintained an optimistic outlook for the remainder of the Formula 1 calendar. He clarified that the team’s lack of competitiveness at the Italian Grand Prix was not a new or unexpected development but rather a manifestation of a known characteristic of their car. “I think in Bahrain we found out our weakness in the car, and it’s still the same in Monza,” Alonso stated, referring to the season-opening race where the car’s strengths were also clearly identified.

The AMR23, while highly competitive on circuits demanding strong aerodynamic performance and traction, inherently struggles on ultra-low-drag tracks like Monza. This understanding allows the team to strategize and manage expectations accordingly. Crucially, Alonso believes that the majority of the remaining circuits on the calendar will be more conducive to Aston Martin’s strengths. “The remaining of the races in the calendar, maybe are a little bit more friendly with our characteristics,” he suggested. This anticipation of more favorable track layouts fuels the team’s hope that they can regain their strong form and continue their impressive points-scoring streak. “So maybe after this one we should be a little more optimistic,” he concluded, signaling a belief that Monza was an anomaly rather than a harbinger of a downturn in performance.

Learning from Rivals: The Williams Example

In his post-qualifying remarks, Fernando Alonso not only analyzed Aston Martin’s performance but also drew comparisons with other teams excelling on similar tracks. Specifically, he pointed to Williams as a team that has managed to unlock significant pace on low-downforce circuits like Monza. “We need to understand how to make the car stronger in this type of tracks. Williams is a clear example; in these kind of tracks, they are outstanding, so we need to see what we can improve,” Alonso observed. This acknowledgement of a rival’s superior performance in a specific domain highlights Aston Martin’s continuous pursuit of development and optimization.

Williams’s strong straight-line speed and efficient aerodynamic package have made them surprisingly competitive on circuits that prioritize drag reduction. By studying teams like Williams, Aston Martin aims to identify areas where they can adapt their car concept or setup philosophies to mitigate their weaknesses on such track types. This competitive analysis is vital in Formula 1, where incremental gains can make a significant difference in a tightly contested championship battle. Alonso’s comment underscores the team’s proactive approach to learning and evolving their package throughout the season, not just focusing on their strengths but also actively addressing their limitations.

The Elusive Tow: A Minor Factor in Monza’s Outcome

Qualifying at Monza often sees drivers strategically seeking a “tow” – drafting behind another car to gain a speed advantage on the long straights. Fernando Alonso admitted that he would have preferred the benefit of a tow for his qualifying lap but ultimately conceded that it would not have significantly altered his final position. “I was not happy to be alone [on the track] at first,” he said, reflecting on his solo run.

However, after reviewing the times, Alonso realized the magnitude of the deficit. “But now when I saw that we are four or five tenths to P9, that was impossible with any tow you can take. So we are in the position we deserve,” he concluded. This pragmatic assessment indicated that while a tow might have shaved a tenth or two off his lap time, the underlying performance gap to the cars ahead was too substantial to overcome with just a slipstream. It reinforced the notion that Aston Martin’s P10 at Monza was a true reflection of their car’s capabilities on that particular circuit, rather than a missed opportunity due to a strategic miscalculation in qualifying.

The High Stakes of the Constructors’ Championship

The Constructors’ Championship is a fiercely contested battle in Formula 1, representing not just prestige but also significant financial rewards for the teams. Ferrari and Aston Martin’s ongoing rivalry for second place (behind a dominant Red Bull) underscores the intense competition at the sharp end of the grid. The 14-point gap separating the two teams heading into Monza was a testament to Aston Martin’s consistent performance throughout the season, often outperforming cars that on paper, or in raw pace terms, appeared quicker.

Alonso’s remarks shed light on the nuances of this championship fight. While Ferrari possesses a car capable of extraordinary highs, their challenge lies in translating that potential into a reliable stream of points. Aston Martin, on the other hand, exemplifies how shrewd race management, strategic consistency, and a highly capable driver can maintain a strong championship position even when the car may not always be the fastest. The remaining races of the season will be critical for both teams, as they vie for every available point, with each circuit offering a new test of their strengths and weaknesses. The outcome of this battle will not only shape their legacy for the 2023 season but also influence their standing and resources for future campaigns.

2023 Italian Grand Prix: Related Articles

• Despite close battles at Monza, F1 drivers want more powerful DRS
• Monza “frustrating” for Alonso but Aston Martin expect better form in coming races
• F1 changed rules to stop Mercedes in 2021 but we won’t ‘cry foul’ now – Wolff
• McLaren will bring ‘follow-up to Austria upgrade’ before focusing on 2024 car
• Magnussen explains why his driving style rarely works with the Haas VF-23

Browse all 2023 Italian Grand Prix articles