Alonso: No F1 team has Aston Martin’s ‘ambitions’ as Newey intrigue flies
Fernando Alonso thinks no team on the Formula 1 grid has as much “ambition” as Aston Martin, amid speculation that its owner Lawrence Stroll is trying to lure Adrian Newey.
The Silverstone-based squad has undergone a huge transformation since Stroll took over the assets of the former Force India team, rebranding it as Racing Point before it became Aston Martin in 2021.
With huge investment, which has included a new factory, the team has become podium contenders – but still wants more as it sets sights on fighting for championship glory.
And, as Motorsport.com revealed recently, Stroll is personally trying to convince Newey to jump ship from Red Bull and help further bolster Aston Martin’s technical capabilities going forward.
Alonso recently committed to a new multi-year deal with Aston Martin that will run through to its Honda era from 2026.
While Alonso, who joined the team last year, was not referencing the Newey rumours specifically, he has made it clear that Aston Martin is a team that is going places – with a desire that no rivals can match.
“There is no other team in the paddock with the ambition and the plans for the future that Aston has,” he said. “But at the same time, you need to achieve those goals and you need to deliver those results.
“This team was very new two years ago. It doubled more or less the amount of people that worked in the factory. They were in an old Jordan building, now they are in a super modern factory.
“Last year we had a very fast car, and we had to learn a lot of lessons off track of how to develop the car to match the top teams. This year, we are matching that kind of development. So, I think they're all very good signs.
Photo by: Aston Martin Racing
“But ultimately you need to win races and to win championships, and this is the hard step.”
While results at the start of this season are not as good as they were last year, because rivals like Ferrari and McLaren have not dropped the ball like they had 12 months ago, Alonso feels in a good place at the squad.
“I'm very happy,” he said. “I think I was happy last year, and I am still happy now. And I feel good with the team. I would love to be in a stronger position.
“Last year, we were fighting for bigger things at the beginning of the year, and we were in more or less this position at the end of last year; fifth fastest team.
“This year, it seems that we have a roadmap for developing the car that is a little bit more aggressive and more in line with a top team that wants to fight for big things and I'm happy to see that.”
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