Fernando Alonso insists that he’s not eager about pole place for the Bahrain Grand Prix regardless of topping the apply instances for his new Aston Martin Formula 1 group on Friday.
Alonso appeared quick all through the primary day of the 2023 season and took the highest spot within the late afternoon FP2 session after lapping 0.169s sooner than the Red Bull of Max Verstappen.
His team-mate Lance Stroll was sixth quickest, regardless of the Canadian lacking final week’s testing attributable to a wrist damage.
After a powerful efficiency by Alonso in testing, rival groups tipped Aston to be within the combine with Ferrari and Mercedes, however the automotive was not anticipated to outpace Red Bull.
Asked if would now be upset if he did not get pole on Saturday, Alonso was eager to maintain expectations in examine.
“Oh, no, in no way,” stated the Spaniard, whose final pole place got here within the 2012 German Grand Prix.
“I’m not pondering that top, to be sincere. Actually, I do not know precisely what place shall be an excellent one for us.
“After testing, we had been pondering to be in Q3 with each automobiles, and rating as many factors as potential in these first couple of races, strive to not make errors.
“It’s very simple to make a mistake, it isn’t the identical preventing for P12, P14 as preventing for prime 5 positions, as a result of the strain is completely different, the adrenaline is completely different. So there are a whole lot of issues that we as a group, we have now to develop collectively, on this on this course of.
“I count on that we’ll, sadly, make some errors, I possibly make some errors, it is a fully new group, new procedures, the group as properly. So we have now to be with the toes on the bottom.
“The goal must be preventing for the championship, however in the long run, I do not suppose on this yr but.”
Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin AMR23
Photo by: Steven Tee / Motorsport Images
Alonso praised the AMR23 however was eager to level out that there was extra to come back by way of each enhancements within the automotive and in the best way the group operates as he continues to adapt to the Silverstone outfit.
“Obviously, it is good to see the instances, that you’re aggressive,” he stated.
“After testing there are all the time blended emotions the place you’re, and nonetheless as we go into qualifying and the race. And possibly the primary three races are very completely different circuits, Bahrain, Jeddah and Australia.
“At the second we’re simply concentrating on ourselves. Still a whole lot of issues to enhance within the automotive, the steadiness was not fully good at present.
“And I believe additionally the group has to vary just a few issues, we’re within the technique of making an attempt to bolster each space of the group.”
Alonso additionally hailed the efforts of the group in current months to maneuver ahead. Aston completed seventh within the constructors’ championship final season, crushed to sixth on countback by Alfa Romeo.
“Obviously, it feels good to drive, I’ll lie if I say that it isn’t feeling good,” he stated.
“But all the pieces is relative to what the opposite groups are doing. And you possibly can really feel superb in a single automotive, and possibly there are three or 4 automobiles sooner than you, after which it would not really feel that good anymore.
“So let’s have a look at the place we’re. I believe we have now to be proud, the step that we have now finished, it has been a really intense, two or three months’ work within the manufacturing unit.
“We spend limitless hours within the simulator, within the conferences, and attempt to anticipate what issues we might face in these first couple of races.
“And as I stated the information that this group has, the expertise that this group has, might be unprecedented. The group of individuals we have now. So that is one thing that could be very encouraging for the longer term.”
