Dan Fallows: I wonder how our new products will work

Before the start of the weekend in Austin, Aston Martin technical director Dan Fallows spoke about expectations for the final part of the season…

Question: Fernando earned points in Qatar. How do you assess your performance?
Then Fallows: The weekend in Qatar was mixed: sprint, difficulties with asphalt, a limit of 18 laps per set of tires in the race. It wasn’t easy for everyone.

We saved up a set of Medium tires before Sunday’s race, which ultimately worked out. This reduced our chances of scoring points in the sprint, but a compromise was necessary. Overall a good weekend. Fernando finished sixth and Lance was unfortunately penalized and dropped out of the top ten.

Question: Given the warm weather and the need to make at least three pit stops, how do you assess the team’s performance?
Then Fallows: It was a very, very difficult weekend, considering the incredible heat. At the same time, the team made some of the fastest pit stops of the season. This is what we have strived for, the technicians have trained hard. The drivers had a hard time in such weather, which is why the FIA ​​​​even decided to launch an investigation.

Q: What results do you expect in Austin?
Then Fallows: There is a difficult circuit in Austin, where we will further study the possibilities of the modified AMR23. We’re getting some new stuff this weekend – it’ll be interesting to see how they work.

In a way it’s a shame that the weekend will be a sprint – we’d like to have more time in training to test the new products.

Q: The US Grand Prix is ​​the first in a three-stage series that also includes races in Mexico and Brazil. How important are they to you?
Then Fallows: Very important. By the end of the season we want to achieve maximum results with this year’s car in order to be able to draw the necessary conclusions for next season. That is why we continue to prepare new items.

In Mexico we will have a high altitude, the Brazilian race can be chaotic with changeable weather, but our task is to achieve the maximum in each of these races.

Question: How difficult is it to earn points in a season where most competitors are performing at the same level?
Then Fallows: Do not underestimate the results of our work, because this season we have earned more points than ever before.

The results came closer, the gap with the leaders became smaller, and in the middle group of teams the battle became even fiercer. I wonder if this will also be the case next year.

Q: Are you angry that the team couldn’t maintain the form they showed at the start of the season?
Then Fallows: We started the season very well and are disappointed with how things went wrong in recent races. But this experience became a lesson that we will take into account next year: we see where we made a mistake with the balance and how this affected the results. It is important not to repeat these mistakes.