Carlos Sainz and Fernando Alonso will start the first race after Formula 1‘s break from the pit lane following set-up changes ahead of the Dutch Grand Prix.
Friday’s Sprint Shootout proved to be a session to forget for both Spaniards. The pair struggled from the early stages, with neither driver making it beyond SQ1. Alonso was left 22nd and last, finishing half a second behind Sergio Perez in 21st. Meanwhile, his fellow countryman Sainz narrowly missed out on progressing after qualifying 18th.
The disappointing results prompted both Aston Martin and Williams to make set-up changes to their cars ahead of the Sprint race. Despite starting from the pit lane, the teams will look to gather as much data as possible. Aiming to improve their performance for the rest of the weekend.
Importantly, Aston Martin confirmed yesterday’s issue with Alonso’s AMR26 has been resolved. The Spaniard struggled when using straight-line mode throughout qualifying. However, after the set-up was reviewed and changes were made, the Silverstone-based team believe the issue has now been resolved.
The issue comes during an important weekend for Aston Martin and Honda. The Japanese manufacturer introduced a significant engine upgrade to benefit the team in what has been a difficult season. The new power unit package is expected to give Alonso and team-mate Lance Stroll a significant boost. Moving them closer to the intense mid-field battle.
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