F1 Q&A: Ferrari’s Hungarian GP strategy, Aston Martin and Alonso, plus Williams and Sainz
Do you think Aston Martin’s upgrade could persuade Fernando Alonso to continue as a driver? -Robert
Fernando Alonso’s contract expires at the end of the year and he must decide whether to stay in F1 next year.
He turns 45 on Wednesday and has been doing this for 25 years. He wants to make sure he makes the right decision because unlike the last time he left F1 in 2018, once he leaves this time there will be no coming back.
Alonso has been discussing his mindset for his future all season long. In summary, he said he will continue racing, but he doesn’t know if that will happen in F1.
He enjoys the competition in F1 but, like many of his colleagues, is not a fan of the new generation of engines, the need for energy management and how this negatively affects the driving experience.
He was less clear about how the competitiveness of the Aston Martin-Honda package would influence his decision.
Alonso is a difficult person to read and can be very knowledgeable when speaking.
In my opinion he is inclined to continue, but only if he feels he can be confident that Aston Martin will be in good shape next year. There is no appeal in another year like the first half of this one, of being left behind, with no one competing.
The launch of the new Aston Martin car in Hungary was a very positive step. Alonso qualified for the first time this year and the race pace was strong.
Apparently the team had hoped for an improvement of around two seconds per lap thanks to aerodynamic improvements and weight savings, and at least in Hungary this largely came true. This is a remarkable step; an almost unheard of move in terms of mid-season upgrades.
This was also important because the upgrade was a test of the factory’s ability to deliver improvements that worked – which had not been the case for three years.
The next step is the new Honda engine, which will race at the Dutch Grand Prix after the summer break.
Aston Martin reckons Honda is well behind other power units, with a lead of around 1.5 seconds per lap at best.
The upcoming upgrade will not completely narrow this gap. However, it is expected to shrink by one third.
This is equally important for Alonso. He will want to see evidence that Honda can improve; especially since he had experience from his time at McLaren between 2015-17 that Honda’s promises did not live up to reality.
I was told that he would wait to see how this would progress before properly considering his decision regarding his future.
The team wants him to stay. Team boss Adrian Newey said at the weekend: “Fernando is a fantastic driver. He brings great things to the team, both in terms of his feedback and his talent.”
“So of course it’s important for us. I’m pretty sure Fernando had a good time with us and we’ll continue our relationship.”
In the end, it’s up to Alonso.
