Fernando Alonso believed he was able to extract the maximum performance from his AMR23 during the British Grand Prix as the veteran Spaniard was forced to settle for seventh place in Sunday’s race.
The Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant Formula 1 Team driver admitted the weekend at Silverstone was a difficult one for the team, but when it mattered, they got everything right on Sunday afternoon, even if the pace of the car was not as strong as they have been at times so far this season.
“We maximised the race today and took seventh place in a difficult weekend for the team,” said Alonso. “I think we managed our strategy well and made the right calls during the race.
“We need to analyse the weekend as a whole, but we aren’t worried about this result.”
Alonso is expecting more ups and downs throughout the remainder of the 2023 FIA Formula 1 World Championship season, with the hope that they can be fighting higher up the order next time out in Hungary.
“We’ve been performing better than expected so far in 2023 and it’s a long season,” insisted the Spaniard. “Only two races ago we were fighting for the win and there will be more ups and downs during this season.
“It was great to be racing here at Silverstone and seeing the level of support there is for Aston Martin. Let’s see if we can return to a better level of performance in Hungary.”
“It’s been a tough weekend but our focus now shifts to Hungary” – Lance Stroll
For team-mate Lance Stroll it was not his day on Sunday, with the Canadian ending up being classified fourteenth having been penalised five seconds for causing a collision.
Stroll made contact with BWT Alpine F1 Team’s Pierre Gasly at the final corner having earlier risked the wrath of the stewards by making an overtake on the same driver at Stowe Corner with what looked like a close call with track limits.
The contact with the Frenchman cost him as the stewards penalised him five seconds, meaning he lost three places to Logan Sargeant, Valtteri Bottas and Nico Hülkenberg. However, he already knew it was not to be his day, with the whole weekend proving difficult for the Canadian.
“It just wasn’t our day today,” said Stroll. “As we expected, the characteristics of this circuit didn’t quite suit the AMR23, and we struggled for pace out there.
“On a couple of occasions I was forced wide by Pierre [Gasly] and we made contact the second time; we’ll check this evening whether that caused any damage to the car.
“It’s been a tough weekend but our focus now shifts to Hungary – a circuit that should suit our car – where we’ll be pushing hard for a better result.”
Lance Stroll was handed a five-second penalty for colliding with Pierre Gasly – Credit: Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant Formula 1 Team