Aston Martin is gearing up to challenge Red Bull at the 2023 Austrian Grand Prix as they introduce new upgrades in their bid to close the gap to the dominant team.
Throughout the 2023 Formula 1 season, Aston Martin has been battling with Mercedes for second place in the constructors’ championship, while Red Bull has established themselves as the comfortable front-runners.
Having struggled to achieve desired results at the Canadian Grand Prix due to technical issues and inclement weather, Aston Martin introduced their first major upgrade package.
In contrast, Mercedes has already implemented several upgrades that have helped them recover from a slow start to the season.
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The Silver Arrows have now surpassed Aston Martin in the constructors’ championship, currently sitting 17 points ahead in second place.
On the other hand, Aston Martin has experienced a downturn in their performance.
Nevertheless, Aston Martin approaches the Austrian Grand Prix with a positive mindset, aiming to utilise their new upgrade package to bridge the gap to the pace of Red Bull’s RB19.
Team principal Mike Krack is confident that they will be able to “attack” the race this weekend.
“The latest evolutions seem to work,” he stated.
“Now circuits with high-speed corners are coming, and I think our car will improve.
“We are looking forward to Austria because that is where we will see the true strength of Red Bull. Our motto for Spielberg: Attack.”
Mercedes also has plans to introduce a significant upgrade package in the upcoming races, as revealed by team principal Toto Wolff.
“Yeah, we’re bringing a larger one to Silverstone,” Wolff said.
“And then we should have another one before the shutdown.
“It’s just that the learnings have accelerated a lot since we changed some of the conceptual architecture.
“There should be decent steps coming in the next four races.”
Despite the recent improvements from Mercedes, Red Bull remains confident in their ability to maintain their lead in the championship as they approach their home race.
Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko expressed their assurance, stating: “Without wanting to be arrogant, they didn’t really get any closer to us, they just took turns.
“And that’s good for us again because our lead in the world championship is increasing with every race.”
Max Verstappen, currently leading the Drivers Championship for Red Bull, shares the team’s confidence.
He acknowledged the progress made by other teams, saying: “At the moment, we are not worried, but other teams are pushing.
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“They are carrying a lot of updates. Aston Martin took a step forward, for sure.
“We are still ahead, but we have to keep working, although I don’t need to say it, we already know that and we are working on it. Things are coming.”