via Imago
Image Courtesy: Imago
via Imago
Image Courtesy: Imago
Aston Martin has clearly become the dark horse of F1’s 2023 season. The Silverstone-based team has arguably made the biggest jump a midfield team has made in the history of the sport. Now, while they fight toe-to-toe with the likes of Ferrari and Mercedes, the British team has started to feel like they know just as much as them, if not better, about winning. With Fernando Alonso emerging triumphant against Carlos Sainz and the Scuderia, Aston Martin didn’t lose this opportunity to prove exactly this.
Recently, it was announced that the FIA had dismissed Ferrari’s right to review petition to overturn Sainz’s penalty for taking Alonso out during the restart at the Australian GP. And with this, Aston Martin grasped the opportunity to teach one of the most successful constructors’ in the game a thing or two about F1’s politics.
Ferrari should’ve been more prepared
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In the end, Aston Martin and Alonso prevailed. The Spaniard will retain his third consecutive podium finish this season whilst the Scuderia sink deeper into their unfortunate spiral. That being said, Aston Martin’s Sporting Director, Andy Stevenson had a few words of wisdom to share to the team from Maranello in light of this whole fiasco.
via Imago
19.03.2023, Jeddah Corniche Circuit, Dschidda, Formel 1 Großer Preis von Saudi-Arabien ,im Bild Fernando Alonso ESP, Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant Formula One Team, Carlos Sainz Jr. ESP, Scuderia Ferrari Dschidda Jeddah Corniche Circuit Saudi-Arabien *** 19 03 2023, Jeddah Corniche Circuit, Jeddah, Formula 1 Saudi Arabia Grand Prix ,in picture Fernando Alonso ESP , Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant Formula One Team, Carlos Sainz Jr ESP , Scuderia Ferrari Jeddah Corniche Circuit Saudi Arabia PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY eu-images-506
DAZN quoted Stevenson as saying, “You have to choose the fights. You can’t always be in the ear of the FIA. Sometimes the decisions don’t favor you, but you have to accept them. When it is something quite clear or something that you are going to win, then That’s when you have to fight.” [translated via Google Translate]
“You have to have all the information that supports your case ready to present it to the FIA. You can never appeal a decision on a whim. If you start screaming in the sky, the FIA will never listen to you,” explained Stevenson while referring to his work on getting rid of Alonso’s penalty at the Saudi Arabian GP.
Aston Martin are by far ahead of Ferrari at the moment. However, is this surprising?
Aston Martin’s supremacy was known to the Scuderia
For many Formula 1 fans Aston Martin’s meteoric rise to the top was a surprise. This has added to the excitement of the entire season, no doubt. However, for the other teams and drivers, they’d already seen the writing on the wall.
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via Imago
14 Fernando Alonso (ESP, Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant F1 Team), 55 Carlos Sainz (ESP, Scuderia Ferrari), F1 Pre-season Testing in Bahrain at Bahrain International Circuit on February 25, 2023 in Sakhir, Bahrain. (Photo by HOCH ZWEI) Sakhir Bahrain * 14 Fernando Alonso ESP, Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant F1 Team , 55 Carlos Sainz ESP, Scuderia Ferrari , F1 Pre season Testing in Bahrain at Bahrain International Circuit on February 25, 2023 in Sakhir, Bahrain Photo by HOCH ZWEI Sakhir Bahrain
Just after pre-season testing had concluded, Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz was quoted by The Race as saying, “This year we know their numbers were very good in the windtunnel, te simulator, I think they were even struggling to hide the excitement of what they were seeing.”
“They arrived to the Bahrain [test] and it confirmed they’re in the mix with us and I think it’s great news for F1, great news for Fernando. Excited to have one more team in the [lead] battle.”
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Watch this later: Helmut Marko blasts Lewis Hamilton for a role in Michael Masi’s sacking
Can Ferrari catch up to Aston Martin this year?
