Friday’s first practice session for Aston Martin at the Hungarian Grand Prix got off to a rocky start
Speaking at the FIA Press Conference on Thursday, Fernando Alonso did his best to manage expectations for Aston Martin at the Hungarian Grand Prix. Throughout several lengthy answers, the veteran driver outlined how the team has been struggling with an inconsistent challenger, and how those struggles have impacted decision-making throughout the season.
While the team brought several upgrades to the Hungarian Grand Prix, early returns are not exactly positive. Lance Stroll finished the first practice session in P9, while Alonso was down in P13.
During the session, Alonso offered some additional feedback, but kept his description short and to the point.
“Pfft .... good luck,” offered Alonso when asked what advice he would have for Stroll regarding dealing with the upgraded car’s balance:
So... not a fan, @alo_oficial?
— Formula 1 (@F1) July 19, 2024
Fernando wishes Lance 'good luck' managing his modified Aston Martin #F1 #HungarianGP pic.twitter.com/C9G4SY8Owv
Beyond the inconsistency the team has seen from the AMR24 this year, Aston Martin faces another challenge this week in the weather. Hungary, like all of Central Europe, is dealing with high temperatures as a heat wave is slowly subsiding. During his lengthy answers on Thursday Alonso noted that the British Grand Prix — with the cooler temperatures at Silverstone — helped their performance.
But when things were hotter in Barcelona during the Spanish Grand Prix, they struggled.
That could lead to more struggles this weekend for the team.
Good luck, indeed.
