Aston Martin could be in contention to win this weekend’s season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix, with multiple reports stating that the Silverstone-based team will be introducing an upgrade package to the AMR23 ahead of the new season.
The British side are looking like a genuine threat to the usual leading trio, with Mercedes set to be bumped to fourth in the pecking order based on pre-season testing.
Aston Martin’s pace was exceptional, with their new upgrade set to put them potentially within striking distance of Red Bull.
If Aston Martin are indeed in the battle for the win this weekend, then double World Champion Fernando Alonso could see himself considered as an early title contender, alongside Max Verstappen.
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Red Bull, Ferrari and Mercedes will all have been paying close-attention to Aston Martin during pre-season testing, given that they might be finding themselves in a four-way scrap for the Constructors’ Championship.
Interestingly, the team’s reported upgrade for this weekend will target “several parts” of the AMR23, as revealed on social media by F1 journalist Matthew Thompson.
“BREAKING,” Thompson wrote, via Auto Motor und Sport.
“Aston Martin is working on an upgrade of several parts of the car, which will arrive for the Bahrain GP. These new parts will close the gap to Red Bull.
“Will Max Verstappen be in contention for victory with Fernando Alonso? Let’s see.”
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner was quick to admit that Aston Martin have “made a big step” ahead of the new season, with that being before they’ve introduced their first upgrade which will just make them even stronger.
Horner also noticed that Alonso looked very good in pre-season testing, with the Spaniard perhaps beginning to realise that he might have made one of the greatest switches in the history of Formula 1.
“I think they’ve made a big step,” Horner told F1TV.
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“It looks like their concept of car has moved them forward and it looks like they’re not too far away.
“Fernando [Alonso] in particular looks very competitive.”
Whether Aston Martin will still be towards the front when everyone’s full pace is revealed remains to be seen; however, the expectation is that they will be amongst the fight at the front this weekend at the Bahrain International Circuit.