Aston Martin driver Lance Stroll is eager to see his team reclaim the position of strength it held at the start of the Formula 1 season.
The Silverstone-based outfit surprised many with their impressive performance earlier in the year, with Fernando Alonso showcasing remarkable speed in pre-season testing and living up to the expectations in competitive races.
During the initial six races, Alonso secured five podium finishes, establishing himself as the most likely challenger to Red Bull and Max Verstappen.
However, in recent outings, the team’s pace seemed to have waned, and Alonso managed only one top-three finish in the last five races.
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As a result, Mercedes overtook them in the constructors’ championship, and both McLaren and Ferrari also made significant strides, finishing ahead of Aston Martin in Budapest.
Following a disappointing points haul at the latest race, Alonso expressed concern about Aston Martin’s decline in the pecking order, stating, “I think we were not quick enough to challenge anyone in front and we didn’t have any threats behind, so three points, ninth and tenth [was] the maximum today.”
He further admitted that currently, the team’s pace appears to place them behind Mercedes, Red Bull, Ferrari, and McLaren, similar to what they observed in qualifying and the race.
Teammate Lance Stroll shared Alonso’s sentiment and acknowledged the tough weekend they experienced, where they lacked the necessary speed to be competitive.
Stroll expressed a strong desire to change the situation swiftly and revert to the impressive form they displayed earlier in the season.
“McLaren, Mercedes, and Ferrari are quicker than us, and we have to fight our way back to being where we were at the beginning of the season,” Stroll said.
“I believe we can come up with some ideas and bounce back.”
However, both Stroll and Alonso highlighted the ever-changing nature of the pecking order in Formula 1, making it difficult to keep up with the shifts on a weekly basis.
Alonso emphasised that every race presents new challenges, and unexpected performances from other teams can often cause surprises.
He cited examples of Nico Hulkenberg and Haas being fourth in qualifying in Austria, and Williams demonstrating impressive pace in Silverstone, leaving many in the paddock taken aback.
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Despite the unpredictability, Alonso remained hopeful and optimistic about Aston Martin’s potential to regain their competitive edge.
He expressed a desire to move back to the front end of the group that comprises the leading teams.
“We are just in the back end of those top teams, so we need to get back to the front end of that group,” Alonso remarked.