Aston Martin had its most profitable weekend of the 2025 System 1 season on the Hungarian Grand Prix, however is at a loss to clarify why it occurred.
One week prior, Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll locked out the again row at Spa-Francorchamps, however on the Hungaroring they claimed fifth and sixth on the grid – their greatest end result since they certified respectively fourth and third on the 2023 Brazilian GP. However this time, they had been barely one tenth away from pole place.
This was no fluke; though they had been by no means in competition for victory or perhaps a podium, they did end fifth and seventh in Hungary, once more their greatest end result since Sao Paulo 2023 (third and fifth).
The sensation among the many staff would possibly greatest be described as puzzled reduction, because it couldn’t clarify the way it achieved such a tour de pressure.
“It’s a shock, undoubtedly it’s a shock. It is a good shock,” Alonso contemplated. “The great factor is that we had been aggressive and we had been quick. The regarding factor is that we do not know why.
Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin Racing
Picture by: Zak Mauger / LAT Photos through Getty Photos
“We’d like this week on the manufacturing facility [before the mandatory summer shutdown] to analyse precisely what are the variations between Spa and Hungary, what are the variations on the automobile as effectively, on the set-up, on the aero gadgets that we had been racing with.
“Clearly, the principle theme for us was the entrance wing that was new this weekend. If that entrance wing offers us that a lot efficiency, that is excellent information, however I feel that must be understood in the meanwhile.”
The brand new high-downforce entrance wing was anticipated to ship efficiency on the twisty Hungaroring monitor, however arguably not that a lot. One other distinction that got here into play was the change again to the previous Imola-spec flooring, although Alonso has lauded excellent correlation from the simulator for all upgrades, together with the newer flooring.
“All the things that we dropped at the monitor is delivering precisely what the wind tunnel was saying,” he claimed. “No matter we need to slot in any weekend, we all know what the automobile will ship.”
So the principle issue, as recommended by the Spanish veteran, could also be monitor traits. Spa-Francorchamps primarily has lengthy straights interspersed with every kind of corners, together with a number of high-speed curves, making it one of many quickest circuits on the calendar. The Hungaroring, in the meantime, is the second-slowest structure on the F1 calendar as a result of its sequence of medium-speed and gradual corners.
Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin Racing
Picture by: Sam Bagnall / Sutton Photos through Getty Photos
Morale is up, however efficiency should not droop again down
The Belgian GP end result was constructive in a number of methods, with these 16 factors – in comparison with the 36 collected over the primary 13 grands prix of the yr – hauling Aston from eighth to sixth within the constructors’ championship. Equally importantly, staff morale was boosted.
“I might not lie, I used to be apprehensive, I used to be involved for the second a part of the yr,” Alonso admitted, opening up greater than he used to about Aston Martin’s struggles, as he beforehand shunned delving into how critical the state of affairs was for such an formidable outfit – although his tone and manner by no means fairly hid his opinion.
“We had been somewhat bit down by way of motivation, everybody within the staff, and these seven days, I feel it adjustments 180 levels.”
Motivation could have drastically improved, however Aston Martin staff bosses are conscious the staff must keep away from slumping again to Q1 stage, even with the 2026 automobile being the precedence forward of F1’s new technical period – which means new recruit Adrian Newey refrains from engaged on the AMR25 in any respect.
“You can’t soar, usually, from the again of the midfield to the entrance of the midfield inside seven days,” chief trackside officer Mike Krack acknowledged.
“We have to be life like. We had very tough races earlier than, not solely Spa. It doesn’t imply that now we have managed a whole turnaround. I feel it is most likely additionally a bit circumstantial. The struggle within the midfield will proceed, I am certain.”
Mike Krack, Chief Trackside Officer of the Aston Martin F1 Group
Picture by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Photos through Getty Photos
The subsequent stage within the midfield battle would be the Dutch GP on the finish of the month, on the marginally sooner but in addition slim and twisty Zandvoort monitor, which is able to affirm or disprove the AMR25’s appetency for such circuits.
“The primary check will probably be Zandvoort. Once more, most downforce in Zandvoort,” Alonso identified. “We carried out effectively in the previous few years there, so hopefully now we have each automobiles within the factors once more.”
The 2-time F1 champion completed second within the 2023 operating of the race, however received’t be anticipated to repeat such a end result this time round.
Extra reporting by Oleg Karpov and Filip Cleeren
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