P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Aston Martin accepts F1 rivals did a "stronger job" developing 2023 cars
Aston Martin had a strong start in Bahrain, with Fernando Alonso achieving five podium finishes in the first six races. However, they faced challenges during the summer, particularly on mixed corner circuits where aerodynamic efficiency is crucial, resulting in only one more podium in eight races. The team has also fallen behind Mercedes in the constructors’ table and is now being chased by McLaren. Aston’s performance director acknowledged that they didn’t develop as well as expected, while other teams caught up. The team believes that their understanding of weaknesses will help them create a more efficient and competitive car for the 2024 season. They don’t attribute their downturn in form to technical directives introduced in Singapore, but instead focus on track characteristics and base development. The team aims to make improvements across all circuits and is still working on aerodynamic enhancements. Although they struggled in Japan, they anticipate better performance at the upcoming race in Qatar, where aerodynamic efficiency is not as crucial.
Source: motorsport
