Fernando Alonso in 2024: will the 33rd win come?
Despite a successful season with eight podiums, Aston Martin's Spanish driver recognises the strong competition and the need to correct mistakes. Will the team be able to catch up and lead Alonso in 2024 to his victory number 33?
This article is written in collaboration with YawClub, The fantasy game inspired by Formula 1.
© Aston Martin Aramco F1 Team Media Centre
Precaution. That is the word Fernando Alonso chooses to face 2024. A year that comes after a 2023 in which the driver, a 42-year-old 'rookie', was able to taste the podium and catch a glimpse of victory. Fourth in the classification, 206 points, 8 podiums and a perfect connection with the car in the first part of the season allowed the Spaniard to come back, making us dream of victory number 33. A victory that did not materialise in a season marked by challenges, especially after an unexpected start for many.
In Brazil, after a long absence from the Grands Prix and with Aston Martin once again in anonymity, Alonso, also known as 'Magic', again showed his magic. A driving magic that many expect to see in 2024, although it will not depend solely on the talent of the two-time world champion. And that is precisely why Fernando uses the word caution, aware that he will face strong competition and hard work in a 2024 with Red Bull still expected to dominate and other teams looking to reduce the gap created by the Milton Keynes team.
"We exceeded expectations this year because they were low. That's why the season is incredible. If we set expectations too high, unrealistically high, there is a danger of the opposite happening." The driver acknowledges that the basis for 2024 is solid. If in 2023, especially for him, everything was new, now the entire team can focus on optimising the work done last season to prepare for a new period focused on correcting the mistakes and paying attention to the details that held back Aston Martin's growth this year.
If there is anything certain and tangible, it is the harmony between Fernando and his AMR23. The Spaniard and his green single-seater were one in the first races of the season. "There are moments in your life, in your career, when you connect with the car in a different way. It is difficult to explain, but you are one with the car, you trust it, you do things that initially seemed impossible. Some of the performances this year, like those in 2012, have been in that mystical region, where you can do things that you thought were against the laws of physics." Fernando Alonso for Aston Martin
Will Aston Martin be able to restore that connection and increase consistency in the AMR24?
Although the year started with high expectations, the irregularities and inconsistent pace we didn't see again until São Paulo brought the green team back to reality. Mike Krack, Aston Martin Team Principal reflected on these ups and downs and the lessons learned that will help solidify and progress in the year ahead.
"We've understood a lot, we know what we want to do for 2024 and the direction we need to take with next year's car, but that doesn't necessarily guarantee our presence at the inaugural race in Bahrain. We face formidable competitors, and the big unknown during the winter is always what kind of work the other teams have done."
What is clear to Krack is Fernando's invaluable contribution, both on and off the track. The Spaniard's commitment helps the team improve every day, and it is this same commitment that they hope to return to him in 2024, with long-awaited victory number 33.
