The Belgian Grand Prix proved to be yet another ordeal for Fernando Alonso. The Asturian driver finished last and was the only one lapped twice, but with the consolation that it should at least mark the end of the suffering. Next week in Hungary, the upgraded AMR26B promised by Aston Martin should arrive.
However, Fernando Alonso does not feel entirely confident. Although Adrian Newey has promised that his new car will bring a two-second-per-lap improvement, something unusual for a new package, the numbers don’t add up. Even if Aston Martin gains two seconds, they would still finish last at the Hungaroring.
Aston Martin to debut its new AMR26B in Hungary
Fernando Alonso and a large portion of the Spanish fanbase have placed their hopes on the upcoming Formula 1 Hungarian Grand Prix. Aston Martin has announced that there will be improvements arriving there—a B version of their AMR26—that they still are unsure whether both drivers will be able to use, but with which they promise a two-second improvement.
Improving by two seconds with an upgrade package is unusual in Formula 1, but the problem is that even if Aston Martin manages it, the numbers don’t lie: they wouldn’t even be able to climb out of last place. Fernando Alonso was 2.1 seconds off the next car, Sergio Pérez’s Cadillac, in Spa’s qualifying.
Fernando Alonso is aware of the situation: “Hopefully we’ll see some progress. But you can see the gap to the cars that reach Q2, and they’re two and a half seconds ahead. It might be difficult, and that’s even for a normal position.” The Spaniard has been generous with his team. In reality, the Asturian finished 2.9 seconds shy of making the cut.
So even if Aston Martin’s upgrades meet their promise in Hungary, Alonso will hardly exit the last positions. At least in this initial development phase, because it should be remembered that after the summer, at Zandvoort, Honda will introduce a new engine, for which Alonso is also already preparing.
“We’ll also change the engine at Zandvoort, when the evolution arrives, so the penalties aren’t so strategic; they’re because we don’t have many parts. We had failures in the early races, another in Barcelona… and Lance in Silverstone. We’re short on parts, it’s not strategy,” Alonso explained about his battery change in Hungary.
That Aston Martin will improve in Hungary is almost certain. What isn’t so clear is whether it will be enough for Alonso to come out of last position.
Images | Formula 1
