F1 News: Fernando Alonso Misses Out On Upgrades While Stroll Receives

Saajan Jogia | Apr 5, 2024

Oct 23, 2022; Austin, Texas, USA; Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant Formula One Team driver Sebastian / Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

Having only one upgrade package at their disposal, Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso was unable to test the improvements on his AMR24 F1 car at Suzuka on Day 1. The team opted to give Lance Stroll the opportunity to test it first during FP1 and FP2.

Key Takeaways:

• Alonso couldn't test AMR24 upgrades at Suzuka due to having only one package available; Stroll tested it in FP1 and FP2.
• Despite Alonso's lead, Stroll, who struggled in 2023, tested upgrades first, while Alonso used the old car.
• Minimal performance difference between Alonso's and Stroll's cars in FP1; Alonso will test upgrades in FP3.

Despite Alonso's current seven-point lead over Stroll in the Drivers' standings and his impressive record from the 2023 campaign, during which he claimed a total of eight podium finishes, Stroll had arguably the worst season of his career. However, Aston Martin opted to offer Stroll the first chance to test the new upgrades on his F1 car while Alonso drove the previous-spec car on Friday.

Aston Martin driver Lance Stroll leaves the track after the Formula 1 Lenovo United States Grand / Aaron E. Martinez/American-Statesman /

But, the performance difference between the two Aston Martin F1 cars was minimal in FP1. Alonso finished 7th with the old version, while Stroll secured 15th position. The 42-year-old driver will have the opportunity to test the upgrades on Saturday during FP3, albeit with a shorter testing window of one hour before the team prepares for qualifying.

Speaking of the upgrades, Aston Martin has brought changes to the floor apart from a Red Bull-styled diffuser, sidepods, and a new beam spoiler. As per a report from Auto Motor und Sport, Stroll's crash at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix last month prompted him to receive the upgrades ahead of Alonso, as his car's chassis required repairs. Aston Martin chose to install the new parts on his car gradually instead of introducing a separate upgrade package at Suzuka.

Nov 15, 2023; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Aston Martin driver Fernando Alonso of Spain speaks during / Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Aston Martin team principal Mike Krack disclosed the team's plan to conduct a direct comparison between the new and old-spec AMR24 during practice at Suzuka. This approach aims to address the weaknesses identified from last season as the team strives for further improvement.

However, with a small window to assess the effectiveness of the upgrades on Alonso's car in FP3, Aston Martin now faces a situation where it must make a bold and quick decision. The team must determine whether to fit the new parts overnight or postpone their use until the next race in China.