Fernando Alonso has shocked everyone in the paddock this year, delivering performances as if he were still in his prime! Alonso thought his days of reliability nightmares were over when he left McLaren. And with Aston Martin gifting Alonso the car he’s dreamt of since Renault did in 2005/6, the two-time world champion was looking as young as he ever did! But the team he left behind during their struggles was on a path to recovery of their own.

The talk of the town ever since the Qatar Grand Prix has been McLaren’s last-minute resurgence. But the start of their 2023 season was not what Norris or Piastri were hoping for. While they had expected to fight against the Scuderia and perhaps Red Bull, the reality was far from that. Through a series of updates to the MCL60, the Woking Outfit has managed to turn the tides in the battle with Aston Martin!

Zak Brown gears up for a final showdown with Fernando Alonso

The McLaren boys entered the US GP weekend with their heads held high. They had just pulled off the points-heist of the season, enduring the Qatar heat. What had started out as a difficult season, now saw them right behind Aston Martin in the battle for fourth in the Constructor’s Championship.

Before heading into an action-packed weekend in Austin, McLaren CEO, Zak Brown, was asked about the Papaya-clad team’s chances of beating Aston Martin once the curtains drop at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. “[I] hope so [that we can get fourth], I hope [we can get third] even more“, Brown was quoted by TotalMotorsport. The Scuderia find themselves breaking a sweat, as Ferrari is not much further ahead, with only 83 additional points.

He added, “That’ll take a small miracle but statistically it’s still possible. You never know but all we can do is get as many points every weekend and see where we end up.” – The Woking outfit is trailing Alonso’s dream team by only 6 points. However, if their current pace is any sign of what’s in store, it’s not just Aston Martin that needs to be worried.

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Given Lance Stroll‘s struggles in the other seat, McLaren can certainly chase down Alonso’s chariot. But the boys in Red too? Zak Brown radiates confidence, “We’ve just got to keep doing what we’ve been doing since the summer break”.

Alonso’s infamous ‘GP2 Engine’  rant comes back to haunt him

In a cruel game played by fate, Fernando Alonso finds himself being hunted down by the very team that suffered his wrath a few years ago. The Spaniard had been highly critical of McLaren during the Honda partnership era. The Japanese company was unable to produce a competent engine for the Spaniard, still, Alonso remained patient. But the 2015 Japanese GP hammered the final nail in the coffin of Alonso’s relationship with McLaren. The Spaniard uttered the infamous words about Honda’s engine, and as if that wasn’t hurtful enough, it was at their home race!

However, no man can hide from Karma! That’s certainly the sentiment at McLaren given their hopes to shatter Fernando Alonso’s short-lived sprint with Aston Martin in 2023. Whilst the Spaniard was flying at the beginning of the season, Lawrence Stroll’s team succumbed to the development race.

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With Zak Brown keeping the energy at an all-time high, Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris could sweep up the fourth spot come Sunday’s Grand Prix! Will Aston Martin fight back in this age-old battle between Fernando Alonso and McLaren?