Fernando Alonso reveals Aston Martin standard demands at Canadian Grand Prix

Fernando Alonso on the podium at the 2023 Monaco GP — Photo: © LAT Images

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Only THIS will make Fernando Alonso happy at Aston Martin

Fernando Alonso gives Aston Martin a target to hit ahead of the Canadian Grand Prix

Jack Walker

Saturday 17 June 2023 20:23

Fernando Alonso has revealed he would be happy with Aston Martin’s season if they can reconsolidate their position as the second-fastest car in Formula 1.

The Spaniard has been on the podium five times so far in 2023, his best result being P2 in Monaco, but rivals’ upgrades have seen them jump ahead.

With Aston Martin's own rigorous development programme being introduced at this weekend’s Canadian Grand Prix, Alonso wants normal business to be resumed.

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“I'll be happy if we can get back to our usual level of racing, which means fighting with Mercedes for the podium,” said Alonso. “We were a long way from achieving that in Barcelona.”

Fighting an old foe

Lewis Hamilton and George Russell’s impressive drives in Spain saw Mercedes claim their first double-podium of the season, and are the only team besides Red Bull to do so.

“We were the second force behind Red Bull,” Alonso continued. “With the changes we've made, we hope to once again rival Mercedes. Sometimes we'll be the second force, sometimes the third. But in Barcelona we lacked pace.”

Alonso and Hamilton have plenty of history, not least from their time as team-mates at McLaren, so Formula 1 fans around the world will be relishing the chance to see two of the greatest to grace the sport lock horns again.

It is, however, very much a different tune to the one pre-Monaco when Alonso claimed Aston Martin were capable of winning races this season.

Realistic expectations but are Red Bull catchable?

Alonso isn’t the only one who is keeping his expectations reigned in. F1 pundit Danica Patrick has claimed that Mercedes are ‘not even cautiously optimistic’ about their return to form this season.

Max Verstappen, however, has said that Red Bull’s pace in Canada is not as strong as at other circuits.

Could the Bulls really be toppled at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve?