Alonso writes off Aston Martin's US Grand Prix chances with damning prediction
Alonso writes off Aston Martin's US Grand Prix chances with damning prediction
Fernando Alonso has admitted that Aston Martin could well treat Sunday's United States Grand Prix as 'a learning opportunity', given their lack of pace shown across the weekend.
A dismal weekend for both Alonso and Lance Stroll saw them fail to get out of Q1 during Friday's qualifying. The Aston pair will line up 17th and 19th respectively come lights out.
Neither were able to score any points during Saturday's sprint race as well, with the Spaniard recording a P13 finish, while his Canadian team-mate had to retire early from the race.
And Alonso is not expecting a miracle to happen on Sunday, as the two-time world champion predicted that a zero points finish could well be on the cards for the team currently sitting fourth in the constructors' standings.
"We have been uncompetitive since FP1, in both time trials and nothing has changed in the race either," he told DAZN.
"We were very slow, too slow, no rhythm. Zero points today and tomorrow [Sunday], launching even further behind, possibly zero points too.
"A painful weekend to assimilate, but we have to try to learn, do the maximum laps and give the team all the information possible."
Alonso: US Grand Prix chances 'very low'
And the F1 veteran even went as far as suggesting that the team could treat the grand prix as a learning opportunity, given their likely lack of competitiveness.
"We need to out to the race tomorrow knowing that the chances are very low, but hey, it's what we have to do," he added. "We will also discuss if it is better to learn something and play the set up and start from the pit lane.
"Anything that helps us, something useful, because doing 56 laps tomorrow just for the sake of doing them seems like a stretch, there are better weekends and there are worse weekends. This is one of the bad ones and we have to grit our teeth and be with the team.
"Later in Mexico, with more free practice, try to optimise the car even better, which we believe is one of the handicaps we had this weekend. By not having laps in free practice we believe that the car can give more of itself. We have to get it optimised."
READ MORE: Stroll MISERY worsens after United States Grand Prix practice disaster
Related news
Marko declares which F1 Grand Prix was Verstappen's 'toughest'
Why USGP was Lewis Hamilton's 'Michael Schumacher' moment
Leclerc once again left 'disappointed' by Ferrari
Norris and McLaren TEASE Hamilton after US Grand Prix
Most read
FIA take action after Verstappen track limits mishap
F1 News Today: FIA make changes as Mercedes receive double penalty and Horner curses bad luck
Red Bull to replace driver at Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
Stroll issues Alonso Aston Martin contract verdict
Horner takes aim at Kravitz with savage jibe at Sky Sports pundit
F1 Standings
Drivers
- Charles Leclerc
- Carlos Sainz
- Lando Norris
- Oscar Piastri
- Pierre Gasly
- Esteban Ocon
- Sergio Pérez
- Max Verstappen
- Alexander Albon
- Logan Sargeant
- Lewis Hamilton
- George Russell
- Nico Hülkenberg
- Kevin Magnussen
- Fernando Alonso
- Lance Stroll
- Valtteri Bottas
- Zhou Guanyu
- Nyck De Vries
- Liam Lawson
- Daniel Ricciardo
- Yuki Tsunoda
Races
- Gulf Air Grand Prix of Bahrain 2023
- Saudi Arabian Grand Prix 2023
- Grand Prix of Australia 2023
- Grand Prix of China 2023
- Grand Prix of Azerbaijan 2023
- Miami Grand Prix 2023
- Qatar Airways Gran Premio Del Made In Italy E Dell'emilia Romagna 2023
- Grand Prix of Monaco 2023
- AWS Gran Premio de España 2023
- Grand Prix du Canada 2023
- Grand Prix of Austria 2023
- Aramco Grand Prix of Great Britain 2023
- Grand Prix of Hungary 2023
- Grand Prix of Belgium 2023
- Heineken Dutch Grand Prix 2023
- Grand Prix of Italy 2023
- Grand Prix of Singapore 2023
- Grand Prix of Japan 2023
- Qatar Grand Prix 2023
- Grand Prix of the United States 2023
- Gran Premio de la Ciudad de Mexico 2023
- Rolex Grande Prêmio de São Paulo 2023
- Heineken Silver Las Vegas Grand Prix 2023
- Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi 2023
About GPFans
GPFans is a multi-platform, multi-language brand dedicated to Formula One coverage. We bring you all the ins and outs of the sport, 24/7, everything from up-to-the-minute news and features to the latest viral stories and clips.We believe that a new generation of exciting, outspoken drivers will make F1 more popular than ever before, and we want to give our users access to as much of their heroes as possible, on and off the track. From Lewis Hamilton to Max Verstappen, Daniel Ricciardo to Sebastian Vettel, we provide in-depth analysis of every every Grand Prix in the season, from Australia to Abu Dhabi.
With Formula One under the new ownership of Liberty Media, how the sport is being covered is evolving, and GPFans will look to be at the heart of this progression into new media, as one of the fastest-growing sites covering the king of motorsports.
Follow us on your favorite social media channel
Corporate & Media
Innovatieweg 20C7007 CD, Doetinchem, Netherlands
+31645516860