Photo credit: Kym Illman, Getty Images
It was “A day where everything went wrong” for Alonso. With a crash in FP3 and Q1 exit, the Spaniard struggled in the Aston Martin all day. Only qualifying p19.
Aston Martin brought upgrades to Imola, with new front wings, side pods and a floor. However, in comparison to the other teams who brought upgrades, Aston has been severely off the pace.
When talking about his surprise Q1 exit, Alonso attributed it to ‘a combination of things.’ He explained how Aston decided to start on higher levels of fuel, enough for the entire session. He set a few practice laps, but was heavy with fuel.
However, went he went for fast runs, he remarked, “I had to box for an unknown problem.”
The Spaniard noted the Mechanics, saying, “I’m sorry for the mechanics because they deserve us to be better after the job that they have done.”
It’s been a tough weekend since Friday for Alonso, with a crash in FP2 as well as FP3. However, the Spaniard admitted he felt better in the car despite the morning crash. “Into qualifying the car also felt good.” But that feeling didn’t come to fruition.
It seemed as though the upgrades brought by the team hadn’t had the desired effect for the British team. Alonso said, “I think the team is the one to analyze it and to comment on it,” but he remained positive, “Plenty to go through and get better for Monaco.”
When asked what was possible in the race on Sunday, Alonso remained realistic,“I think tomorrow is going to be tough.” He acknowledged how it’s the second most difficult track to overtake at. Only easier than Monaco.
Alonso remarked, “Singapore ranks easier than Imola to overtake, so that tells everything.”
Aston Martin may take the opportunity to change some components for the car. If they do, Alonso will start from the pits.
Imola is well known for being a tricky, bumpy track. The narrow nature not only makes it hard for overtaking but also dangerous.
The Spanish driver acknowledged this when he commented, “we saw the crash in F2 at the start as well.” Making it clear, they need to ‘avoid’ any incidents like that. Unfortunately, he admits points on Sunday are ‘unrealistic’ for Aston Martin.
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