Fernando Alonso is widely regarded as one of the most gifted drivers to ever grace Formula 1. The two-time world champion, whose Formula 1 career spans two decades, recently spoke about how the green-clad Aston Martin team seemingly transcended the conventional boundaries of racing physics, harking back to the glory days of his exceptional 2012 campaign. The Spaniard looked back at the moments when he felt at one with the car, pushing the limits of what seemed possible.

As Fernando Alonso delves into his extraordinary journey, it becomes clear that age is indeed just a number for the Spanish driver. Wrapping up his first season with Aston Martin, he clinched a remarkable fourth place in the Drivers’ Championship. Despite facing challenges as the season unfolded, Alonso’s prowess shone, particularly in the early races, where he notched up podium finishes in six out of eight races.

Alonso explains why the 2023 season was as good as his 2012 title fight

Despite securing championships in 2005 and 2006, Fernando Alonso considers the 2012 season, where he led the championship by over 40 points at one stage, as his best in Formula 1. Recently, the Spaniard drew an intriguing parallel between his stellar 2012 season and the recently concluded 2023 campaign, pointing to both as pinnacle moments in his illustrious career.

His perspective on 2012 revolves around the challenges faced with an underpowered Ferrari, showcasing exceptional skill by dragging it into contention until the final race in Brazil. Describing it as the pinnacle of his racing prowess, Alonso asserted that he operated at “100%” of his ability during that iconic Formula 1 season.

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Looking at the 2023 season, Alonso highlighted key races, including Bahrain, Monaco, Canada, Monza, and Brazil. Noteworthy was his intentional inclusion of Monza, where he secured a ninth-place finish in challenging circumstances, underscoring the achievement considering the lack of competitiveness in the car.

During a recent conversation with Aston Martin exploring his first season with the team, Alonso was asked why he thinks 2012 and 2023 are his best seasons in Formula 1. “There are a couple of moments in your life, in your career, where you connect with the car in a different way. It is difficult to explain, but you are at one with the car, you trust the car, and you are doing things that initially you thought were not possible. Overtaking, or just going through a corner in a way that didn’t sound logical when you first thought about it,” the Spaniard explained.

Despite ‘Dangerous’ Pressures Looming Over Aston Martin, Fernando Alonso Hopes for “Dream” 33rd F1 Win

“Then you find yourself doing impossible things with the car on a regular basis. In every practice, in every qualifying session and race. Some of the performances this year, like those in 2012, were in that sort of mystical region where you can do things that you think are contrary to the laws of physics. That’s what makes years like 2023 even more important, even more special, in my life,” Alonso summed up.

Despite having finished the season on a high note, Alonso also understands that everything was not perfect with the AMR23. However, he remains hopeful that things will be better moving forward.

Alonso sheds light on AMR23’s weaknesses

Aston Martin’s performance slowly faded away as the season progressed, particularly after the Austrian Grand Prix. The removal of an overly flexible front wing, a crucial component, reportedly impacted the team’s competitiveness against rivals. Pair that with the decision to reverse-engineer parts developed for 2024 to run on the AMR23, created a deviation from their intended course of action, contributing to the challenges faced during the season, according to Fernando Alonso.

The experimental development resulted in a narrow operating window for the car. Alonso was quoted by Autosport saying, “I think we need to find some consistency. Maybe one of the weak points was the car has to operate in a very narrow window.“

However, Alonso remained optimistic as he addressed the challenges faced, emphasizing the need to address the drag level to improve top speed and widen the car’s operating window. In his own words, “If we can improve the straight line speed – I think that was, in performance numbers, our weak point. Always a little bit too slow on the straights.”

He also expressed confidence that the team has ideas for the upcoming season to address the challenges faced in 2023, assuring fans that improvements are on the horizon.

Will Aston Martin be able to take what they did right in 2023 and build on it to give Alonso a car with which he can fight for race wins? Share your insights with us.

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