When Aston Martin signed Sebastian Vettel last season, they must have been over the moon. To start with, they were going to enter the 2021 F1 season with a huge brand name and a competitive car. And then to put the cherry on top, signing a four-time world champion was a massive coup for then. But so far this season, it has not clicked for them.

So, what is the reason behind the driver’s dull form? Of course, we all know about the regulation change that is affecting their low-rake car. And yes, Vettel himself has not been at the top of his game. But for Team Principal Otmar Szafnauer, the core issue lies with their limited pre-season testing.

“My biggest regret is that we weren’t as reliable as we should have been in the winter. Had we had more testing, I think he’d be in a different place on the learning curve,” said Szafnauer.

The Bahrain test event could not have gone any wrong for them. Vettel faced a series of mechanical and technical issues which limited him running to just over 100 laps, fewest of any other driver on the grid. FIA’s decision to cut the running days from six to three didn’t help their cause either.

‘Determined’ Vettel is in the Same Boat at Aston Martin as Perez at Red Bull: Szafnauer

Aston Martin looking to improve 1-lap pace of AMR21 to help Vettel

But now, it is important for them to look forward instead of dwelling on the past. Like the Mercedes‘ W12, their car also suffers the most in qualifying. So, Szafnauer is targeting big improvements in that area –

“I think we have to look really hard at one lap pace as it looks like the race pace is a little bit better. Although conditions in Imola were tricky with the wet and drying surface.”

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Their race pace is not too bad, however. Lance Stroll finished in eighth place and Vettel made a few gains on Sunday before retiring with a gearbox issue.

And in Imola, they evaluated the upgrades which they plan to equip their cars with in Portimao. Fortunately, the drivers reported a positive feedback which will be music to Szafnauer’s ears, “We’re working hard to move forward.” Let’s hope that Vettel can turn it around next weekend.