Fernando Alonso writes off Aston Martin's US Grand Prix chances with damning prediction

Aston Martin drivers Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll — Photo: © LAT Images

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Alonso writes off Aston Martin's US Grand Prix chances with damning prediction

It has been a nightmare weekend for Aston Martin so far

Matthew Hobkinson Lead Editor

F1 Editor & Journalist

Sunday 22 October 2023 14:57

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Fernando Alonso has admitted that Aston Martin could well treat Sunday's United States Grand Prix as 'a learning opportunity', given their lack of pace shown across the weekend.

A dismal weekend for both Alonso and Lance Stroll saw them fail to get out of Q1 during Friday's qualifying. The Aston pair will line up 17th and 19th respectively come lights out.

Neither were able to score any points during Saturday's sprint race as well, with the Spaniard recording a P13 finish, while his Canadian team-mate had to retire early from the race.

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And Alonso is not expecting a miracle to happen on Sunday, as the two-time world champion predicted that a zero points finish could well be on the cards for the team currently sitting fourth in the constructors' standings.

Fernando Alonso will start Sunday's race 17th on the grid

Lance Stroll meanwhile finds himself further back in P19 for lights out

And the possibility claiming zero points across the weekend is looking increasingly likely for Aston Martin

"We have been uncompetitive since FP1, in both time trials and nothing has changed in the race either," he told DAZN.

"We were very slow, too slow, no rhythm. Zero points today and tomorrow [Sunday], launching even further behind, possibly zero points too.

"A painful weekend to assimilate, but we have to try to learn, do the maximum laps and give the team all the information possible."

Alonso: US Grand Prix chances 'very low'

And the F1 veteran even went as far as suggesting that the team could treat the grand prix as a learning opportunity, given their likely lack of competitiveness.

McLaren will be looking to leapfrog Aston Martin in the constructors' championship this weekend

"We need to out to the race tomorrow knowing that the chances are very low, but hey, it's what we have to do," he added. "We will also discuss if it is better to learn something and play the set up and start from the pit lane.

"Anything that helps us, something useful, because doing 56 laps tomorrow just for the sake of doing them seems like a stretch, there are better weekends and there are worse weekends. This is one of the bad ones and we have to grit our teeth and be with the team.

"Later in Mexico, with more free practice, try to optimise the car even better, which we believe is one of the handicaps we had this weekend. By not having laps in free practice we believe that the car can give more of itself. We have to get it optimised."