Fernando Alonso thinks he will have an advantage in this weekend’s Chinese Grand Prix because to an attribute of his Aston Martin AMR24.
The two-time F1 World Champion believes his Aston Martin’s DRS strength could be vital down the long back straight at the Shanghai International Circuit, coming off a sixth-place finish in Japan.
Fernando Alonso: Our DRS is quite potent.
This weekend marks the return of Formula One to Shanghai, the last race to be added to the schedule before the COVID-19 pandemic five years ago was the Chinese Grand Prix.
With a 1.2-kilometer straight, the Shanghai track is one of the longest straights in Formula 1. As such, vehicles with strong straight-line speed can perform well.
Alonso noted that the “very powerful DRS” might come into play on a weekend when other factors like bad weather and the return of the sprint format all promised to upend the standings. Alonso finished sixth at the fast Suzuka track the previous time out.
Following the Australian Grand Prix, he told the reporters, “I think it always gives us a little bit more of an opportunity when you have a little bit of a pace deficit.”
“Having a sprint weekend or mixed conditions always gives you an advantage over others. It will be difficult, though.
“I expect Ferrari to be very fast in China because of the long corners and front-limited circuit, perhaps similar to Australia.”
“But let’s see, Red Bull as well.
“We have a very strong DRS; we’ll see if that helps on the long straight China.”
When asked what criteria he used to determine the hierarchy, Alonso grinned and said, “I drive the car on track, and I see it!”
Fernando Alonso: This is merely a baseline upgrade package
The two-time F1 World Champion stated he believes the AMR24’s pace still needs improvement. He signed a contract extension with Aston Martin to stay a driver for at least another two seasons, between the Chinese and Japanese Grands Prix.
In Japan, the team unveiled a modest package of improvements, which included modifications to the bodywork, rear beam spoiler, and floor. According to Alonso, there would be more changes during the season.
He stated, “I believe there are a few things in the works to improve the car.”
“This first package, in my opinion, is merely the starting point for what we will provide later in the season. Therefore, we still have a lot of things to analyze.
However, as I already stated, we are performing exceptionally well on Sundays, maximizing the points—even more than we typically deserve.
“The pit stops were excellent. In fact, on the second stop, I thought, ‘Perhaps they didn’t replace all four tires,’ as it seemed to be the fastest ever.'”
Thus, a few minor adjustments here and there enable the desired outcomes. However, I believe that the speed is essentially not where we should be going. And right now, we must concentrate on this.
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