Alfa Romeo’s pursuit of a seventh-place position in the constructors’ championship before the summer hiatus fell shy of its mark, Xevi Pujolar, the head of trackside engineering for the team, confessed.
Amidst the competitive midfield fray, Pujolar emphasised the necessity of persistent effort and innovation, noting the closeness of the contest.
Speaking to the media, Pujolar offered insights into the team’s progress, challenges, and upcoming strategies.
With the turbulence of the midseason break looming, Pujolar candidly acknowledged the tough battle in the midfield, where margins are slim and progress is incremental.
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“Everything is very, very tight in the midfield and we just need to keep working hard and developing,” Pujolar candidly stated.
The sentiment resonates with the intense competition that characterises the midfield of the Formula One grid, where every fraction of a second can make a substantial difference in positioning.
Pujolar went on to unveil the team’s strategy for maintaining its competitive edge, hinting at the unveiling of planned upgrades.
“We’ll see what our direct competitors can bring after the shutdown, but we have some upgrades in the pipeline,” he shared.
The anticipation surrounding these upgrades serves as a testament to the unrelenting drive for innovation that defines the Formula One landscape.
Reflecting on the original goal set by Alfa Romeo, Pujolar outlined the team’s ambitions leading up to the midseason break.
“The main target for us, we wanted to be in P7 before the shutdown, but we’re still within these two points,” Pujolar explained, alluding to the narrow margin separating them from their goal.
This underlines the unpredictable nature of Formula One, where rapid shifts in standings can transpire over the course of just a few races.
Undeterred by the challenges they faced in the first half of the season, Pujolar maintained an optimistic outlook, emphasising the dynamic nature of the competition.
“Everything can change very quickly in the next couple of races again,” he acknowledged.
This sentiment encapsulates the essence of Formula One, where fortunes can transform with a well-executed strategy or an unforeseen twist of fate.
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Crucially, Pujolar emphasized Alfa Romeo’s unwavering determination to stay in the race for the coveted seventh position.
“For us, the main thing is that we don’t increase that gap to P7 and also in terms of pace and performance to be there with our direct competitors,” he stressed.
This commitment to maintaining the status quo in terms of points and performance underscores Alfa Romeo’s resolve to remain a force to be reckoned with in the midfield battleground.