aston martin Two weeks ago I took a big step. Brazil F1 GP, combines parts of the new aerodynamic package unveiled at Austin with other older parts to get amazing performance out of his car. The Asturian took advantage of this and achieved a stunning podium finish in a ‘photo finish’ against him. “Czech” Perez. However, the performance and results of Oviedo’s cars depended directly on how well the car adapted to Oviedo’s characteristics. São Paulo. In that sense, Fernando Alonso it doesn’t take into account Las Vegasdoes not seem to be an advantageous route for Aston Martin, as it has long straights (one of which is 1.9km), has lower straight edges and is less aerodynamically efficient than other rivals. For this reason, the Asturian had his expectations significantly lowered following his podium finish, following the optimism shown by the team in recent weeks. Brazil.

“I would be happy if I could win the first race of this new era, the Las Vegas Grand Prix, but I don’t think that’s possible.”Fernando Alonso said this at the FIA’s official press conference at the Las Vegas Grand Prix after an opening ceremony worthy of a Super Bowl show.

“This circuit is not our favorite circuit (for Aston Martin) because of the aerodynamic package we have now. To be honest, I don’t think it will happen. Fernando said he does not believe there will be any rivals this weekend at the track where Max will have to adapt perfectly to Red Bull.

Rather than thinking about another complicated podium, Alonso will continue to use the final two races of the year, held at different tracks such as Las Vegas and Abu Dhabi, to continue testing the car and building his 2024 car. You want to draw important data and conclusions. . That will be your biggest goal. He recognizes that his two events in Austin and Mexico provided important data, even if the results were poor. And now he wants to continue collecting data.

“We need to wait and see how things develop in Las Vegas and Abu Dhabi in order to draw a better conclusion. These two races are important for understanding the car, especially for next year.” (2024, same regulations). This circuit probably has a lot of straights and will be difficult for us. But we hope to see a better performance here and in Abu Dhabi. ”Alonso added, comparing it to what was seen in Mexico and Austin before Brazil.

Alonso knows he has to suffer in Las Vegas. And for example, a lot can be expected from AlphaTauri, which takes a step forward. Moreover, Ferrari should be much stronger than Brazil. And perhaps other teams like Williams, Haas and Alfa Romeo will too, thanks to the power of Ferrari engines. At this point in the season, Q2 and Q3 are very expensive and the parity between everyone in the turn is very high. This, and the track’s unfavorable characteristics for Aston Martin, could make it difficult for Alonso to qualify from third in Sao Paulo to Q2 or Q3 this weekend. This is the same in F1, with the exception of Verstappen who makes the difference with his huge race pace.

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But Las Vegas raises even bigger questions. Until the cars are out on the track and we see the evolution of the asphalt, we can’t jump to conclusions or have any preconceived notions. While it’s true that a huge straight is not a good scenario for Aston Martin, there are many other factors that Fernando could use to shave tenths of a second off through sheer experience and skill. The Asturian is one of the drivers who, along with Verstappen, will make the biggest difference on the new route. His adaptation is faster and if the track is complex and improves significantly through qualifying, Fernando could make a difference as he has done in other classifications by changing tracks this season. That could give him options to maximize Sunday’s result.

Another important point is tire temperature. Las Vegas is located in the Nevada desert. When thinking about this Grand Prix, no one realized how cold the temperature would be in the middle of the desert in mid-November. As it is a night race, the temperature can drop to around 10℃. The rink could freeze and turn into a skating rink. And if there is a break, it will be very difficult to fight between the walls with cold tires. Additionally, drivers have to brake hard on cold tires after very long straights. Alonso can try to gain a few more tenths of a second with his own hands, even in such delicate conditions. Moreover, this could lead to an accident, a safety car, and a situation where Fernando Alonso could be fishing in rough waters.

“The load on the city circuit is very light, so Confidence in braking is very important. And since there are no support races this weekend (no F2 or F3), we will have to see the course evolve (it is passable during the day). It’s the same for everyone. Each lap is better than the previous one and no two are the same. You have to adapt to the changing grip.You need to check what the temperature level is (of tires) The reason why I lose on long straights is because I have experienced races where I had to be careful not to overheat. We’ll have more answers this Friday. ”and Fernando Alonso claimed he hopes he can “build trust” with the Las Vegas wall during the three free practice sessions.