Alonso: We aim to beat our closest rivals

Aston Martin drivers are optimistic about the Miami Grand Prix – Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll are confident the car’s speed will allow them to battle for high positions in the upcoming race weekend.

Fernando Alonso: “It’s great to be back in Miami! It’s a great place to host a Formula 1 race and we look forward to going to the first US Grand Prix of the season. I’m always happy to go to this country and I like the local approach to organizing sporting events and the passion of the fans.

We just finished a busy weekend in Baku where the team earned 22 points and I finished second off the podium on Sunday. The car was fast, although we had little time to set it up.

Miami has a fast track with lots of tight corners and long straights. I wonder if the full tarmac replacement will have any effect – we’ll have plenty of time to sort it out on Friday.

Our pace in Baku was impressive and I hope to see similar results in Miami. We aim to beat our closest rivals and put on a great show for the fans.”

Lance walk: “It’s great to fly to Miami and get straight back behind the wheel after a busy weekend in Azerbaijan. It’s amazing how much Formula 1 has grown in the US – I like to see full grandstands. I hope we put on a great show for the fans!

I have mixed memories of last year’s stage: I started from the pit lane due to problems identified before the race, but broke through the pack and finished tenth, which can be considered a pretty good result. The track itself is fast and challenging, but that’s how a city ring should be.

In Miami, you have to take risks, but if you cross the line, retaliation for a mistake is inevitable. I love! As usual, we will attack with all our might this weekend to close out the series of double races knowing that we took every opportunity to score points.