The signing of Fernando Alonso by Aston Martin for the 2023 Formula 1 season came as a surprise just one day after the Hungarian Grand Prix, where the Alpine team assured that the Asturian’s renewal would come after the summer holidays, in Spa-Francorchamps.
The Spaniard’s announcement provoked a wave of reactions throughout the paddock, and many believe that it is the wrong decision, since the two-time world champion is leaving a team that is fighting for fourth place in the constructors’ world championship at a which is at the bottom of the ranking.
However, from the whole of Silverstone they affirm that it is the correct movement for the trajectory of Fernando Alonso, as explained by its director, Mike Krack . The Luxembourger warned that the signing of the Oviedo was a “declaration of intent” by Aston Martin towards its rivals in the highest category of motorsport.
“He has that killer instinct. No matter what happens, you know that Fernando [Alonso] will always give everything, he always pushes 100%, he always gets the most out of the car and the team,” said the boss of the British about the pilot who was will join the structure from 2023. “His running form is exceptional, a formidable combination of confidence, instinct and intelligence.”
“The signing of Fernando is a clear statement of intent at Aston Martin. We are not on the grid to make numbers, we are here to win,” Mike Krack said with conviction in a statement released by the team.
The change from Spanish to green is the seventh in his sports career, and as promised in other projects, the director of Aston Martin explained that they are trying to fight in the future with the leaders of Formula 1.
“We are on a journey to the front of the grid, and Fernando’s decision to join us on that journey, to have a driver of his caliber believe in the Aston Martin project, is a huge compliment to our team and the work we’re doing,” Krack said.
“It will demand a lot from us, but that is what is expected of a multiple world champion,” continued the member of the high echelons of the team. “Fernando will be a driving force as we climb together and like everyone in the team I can’t wait to work with him. The prospect of having Fernando and Lance [Stroll] in the car next year is very exciting.”
One of the most important things to know if Fernando Alonso will have a competitive car is to know when the team will focus on developing the car for next year , that of 2023, and it seems that Aston Martin will do everything possible to give the Asturian a good machine.
“Although we need to continue to improve the performance of the AMR22 and we have a small group of people still working on it, we have already turned our attention to the AMR23,” Krack said. “We have been focusing on the AMR23 for a long time, because the car has to perform from the first moment. A new season and a new car represent the biggest opportunity to get ahead of our competitors.”
The Luxembourger has been working at Aston Martin for a few months, long enough to be aware of what the future may hold for the project of Lawrence Stroll , owner of the team and father of the other titular driver, and when asked what the What he liked the most, it was clear.
“The teamwork is extraordinary. Everybody helps each other, everybody works together and they do their best to achieve our goal, to get to the first position on the grid,” he replied. “It’s an incredibly positive and constructive environment to work in, and now we have to channel this incredible spirit into making a faster car.”
“We must focus on performance, on improving the car, because we already have all the necessary ingredients to succeed. Reliability, for example, has been one of our strong points, we have completed the second most laps this season, and that says much about quality, we can deliver a reliable car under pressure,” Krack argued.
“But the car wasn’t fast enough when we started the season,” he said. “We have tried to catch up, but our rivals are not standing still either, this has been our biggest challenge in 2022,” concluded the Aston Martin director.
