Alonso: We will draw conclusions about the balance of power after Japan

Aston Martin has had a productive pre-season test and is pleased with the new AMR24 car. Team driver Fernando Alonso is optimistic, but believes that the true balance of power can only be assessed after the Japanese Grand Prix.

“Let’s wait a few more races,” Fernando replied when asked how competitive Aston Martin’s car was. – Bahrain has a unique circuit in terms of characteristics, so it is necessary to hold stages in Saudi Arabia, Australia and Japan, and only then draw some conclusions.

The new car was a step forward from last year, which was also the original goal. Everything worked as expected in the tests, but we do not yet know whether the step forward we managed to take last winter is enough.

I see the team taking a different approach than in 2023. Last year it was a shock to us how good the car was at the start of the season, but then the bigger teams were able to make more progress in upgrading the car. We have learned the lessons from last year.

We start the new season with a good car. It will be interesting to see if we can maintain a high level of car modernization compared to the leading teams.

Last year we were not able to meet our own expectations, but I hope that we will succeed in 2024.”

Lewis Hamilton will continue his career at Ferrari next year, but before that the seven-time world champion must spend a season at Mercedes. In 2006, Fernando Alonso found himself in a similar situation: he had to drive for Renault, although it was announced that he would be leaving for McLaren at the end of the year. At the FIA ​​press conference in Bahrain, Fernando recalled the events of that year.

Fernando Alonso: “It was a completely normal season. Once you tell your current team that you are leaving after a year, the next few weeks are strange, but once the season started we were all focused on the fight, on working on the car.

I was lucky enough to become champion that year, so my association with the team ended with a big celebration. In racing, our way of working has not changed.”

During pre-season testing, Fernando Alonso evasively answered questions about the vacant seat in the Mercedes team. Journalists again asked the two-time Formula 1 champion in Bahrain on Wednesday whether he was interested in taking over from Lewis Hamilton. Fernando responded: “First of all I have to decide whether I want to keep racing. This is the first thing I have to decide on in the coming weeks and races.

I’m in top form now, but I know how busy the season is. In 2026 there will be new technical regulations, which may or may not be tempting – I don’t know.

Let’s see. As I said at the car presentation: I will wait a few more races before I make a decision.”