Aston Martin are preparing a major upgrade to their AMR23 car after the summer break for the 2023 Dutch Grand Prix after failing to finish on the podium in Spielberg, Silverstone and the Hungaroring.
The upgrade is targeted to arrive at the end of August for Dutch GP in Zandvoort, but could be delayed to the Italian GP one week later.
The package aims to improve the sidepods, DRS and floor following the successes McLaren and Mercedes have made after investing into these areas.
Aston Martin‘s rivals have been capable of challenging Red Bull over one lap as Lewis Hamilton took pole position at the Hungarian GP, with Lando Norris just 0.082 behind Max Verstappen.
Alonso and Lance Stroll qualified a distant eighth and 14th respectively. The team had introduced an upgrade at the Canadian GP but it has not had the desired effect as Aston Martin have been unable to score a podium since.
Further harming the team has been the updated tyres that Pirelli introduced at the British GP, as Alonso claims that the new rubber has slowed Aston Martin and Red Bull relative to their rivals, who seem to be enjoying the new sets.
Aston Martin‘s loss of pace can be summarised by the fact that Alonso finished 13 seconds behind McLaren‘s Oscar Piastri in Budapest, despite the rookie sustaining floor damage with 23 laps to go.
The Spanish driver was 36 seconds down on Hamilton, who was last of the trio battling for the two podium spots behind the race winner, Verstappen, who was a further 33 seconds ahead.
Alonso calling for grit
Following the setbacks, Alonso has called for Aston Martin to remember their successes and to come together to recover their earlier season form.
“The first half of the year has been outstanding,” Alonso said to the media. “It’s time to grit our teeth, improve and grow as a team.”
Aston Martin began the season with six podiums from the first eight races and Alonso led Hamilton by 24 points after the Monaco GP.
But since Monaco, the driver and team have collected 46 and 64 points – an average of nine and 12 points per race.
The result has seen Hamilton close to within six points of Alonso and Ferrari, in third, have moved within 20 points of Aston Martin.
Where is the next F1 2023 race?
With the F1 circus finished in Budapest, we move on to the 2023 Belgian Grand Prix which will be held at Spa-Francorchamps over the weekend of July 28-30.
