P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Aston Martin battle ‘F1 speed limit’ at Barcelona testing
Aston Martin is reportedly struggling with the straight-line speed of their new F1 car during the private shakedown at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. The team decided to use only two out of their three allocated testing days in Barcelona, with one day mostly spent in the garage, and driver Lance Stroll completing just five laps. Two-time world champion Fernando Alonso drove the car for the first time, facing challenges in achieving desired speeds on the straights. The car, designed by F1 legend Adrian Newey, is powered by Honda, which has been raising concerns about the new power unit’s performance under the new regulations.
Although there are no official lap times available from the shakedown, reports suggest Aston Martin and its drivers are facing setbacks in terms of straight-line speed. The team is scheduled to participate in upcoming Bahrain tests to further assess and improve the car’s performance before the start of the season. Despite the challenges, driver Lance Stroll expressed positivity about the car and the team’s efforts to prepare it for testing and the upcoming races.
