Fernando Alonso has urged Aston Martin to treat McLaren’s turnaround in Formula 1 as a “good example” as the team bids to rebound from an underwhelming 2024.
Aston Martin endured a disappointing campaign as it was unable to replicate the exploits that saw Alonso earn six podiums during the opening eight rounds of 2023.
The Silverstone-based squad’s decline has marked a contrast to McLaren, which began the previous season rooted in last place but ended 2024 as World Champions.
McLaren managed to build upon a potent upgrade package at the 2023 Austrian Grand Prix elevating the side to the sharp end to bag the Constructors’ title this term.
Meanwhile, Aston Martin has continued to experience struggles with mid-season development, consigning the team to winding up 572 points behind McLaren in fifth.
Alonso has admitted that McLaren’s remarkable comeback has provided a template that should encourage Aston Martin that it can recover from its recent difficulties.
“They started last [in 2023] and then won races in the mid-season and we need to learn from them,” Alonso told media including Motorsport Week.
“This is a good example of how things can be done.
“In Austria they introduced a package, they gained six, seven-tenths or whatever, and that was the beginning of a series of packages that put their car as the fastest.
“So that Austria package, if we want to call it that, is something we need to work on.”
Alonso willing to bide time until new rules
But with 2025 representing the final season under the current ground effect rules, Aston Martin faces an uphill task to reduce its gap to the leading quartet next term.
Alonso, though, has expressed that he is willing to be patient until new regulations come in 2026, citing that Aston Martin “can get a lot of wind tunnel hours” for then.
Aston Martin is poised to get access to 192 more wind-tunnel runs than McLaren until the Aerodynamic Testing Regulations are switched based on the order in June.
This could provide a vital advantage in Aston Martin’s endeavours to become a title challenger as work on the next-generation cars will be permitted from next month.
“Now I think we can reset, we can learn from all the difficulties and mistakes of this year and apply those learnings into next year’s project,” he explained.
“The new factory is now completed, also the new wind tunnel is going to be open soon. Andy Cowell [Aston Martin CEO] has already changed some of the weaknesses that he found in the team, so we have trust on the new management, and I think things are moving in the right direction, so I’m happy for that.
“But in Formula 1 there are not many miracles – you need to be patient, you need to find that sweet spot in the car, you need to find that upgrade that really awakens everything in these ground-effect cars.”
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