{"id":33496,"date":"2023-12-06T16:57:00","date_gmt":"2023-12-06T16:57:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/formula1news.co.uk\/?p=33496"},"modified":"2023-12-06T10:25:49","modified_gmt":"2023-12-06T10:25:49","slug":"fernando-alonso-makes-hurts-admission","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/formula1news.co.uk\/fernando-alonso-makes-hurts-admission\/","title":{"rendered":"Fernando Alonso makes ‘hurts’ admission"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Fernando Alonso has admitted that Aston Martin finishing fifth in the Constructors’ Championship “hurts a little”, despite the fact 2023 was still a “historical season” for the side.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Aston Martin entered the 2023 season having enjoyed a spectacular pre-season, where it was discovered that they were the only side capable of potentially challenging Red Bull. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Given that they were towards the bottom of the midfield in 2022, fighting for podiums from the get-go was a spectacular feeling for the Silverstone-based team. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In his first season for Aston Martin, Alonso started the campaign with six podiums in the first seven races, something which even he probably didn’t expect. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Aston Martin were better than Mercedes and Ferrari in the first half of the campaign, before falling behind them and McLaren in the second half. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nevertheless, Alonso salvage eight podiums and claimed fourth in the Drivers’ Championship, a feat he admits was “unthinkable” for the team in 2022.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt has been a historical season for Aston Martin, and for myself, eight podiums, more than 200 points, nearly 300 for the team,\u201d said Alonso, as reported by Speedcafe.com. \u201cTwelve months ago, this was unthinkable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis is the best season ever for the team as well, with whatever name they had before, so an incredible year to remember.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe expectations were low, so we have exceeded expectations this year. Maybe next year it\u2019s the opposite, the expectations will be very high, so we have some pressure on our shoulders.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As mentioned, Aston Martin did end up falling behind Mercedes, Ferrari and McLaren in the standings, mostly because their upgrades simply didn’t work. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Oddly, the more upgrades Aston Martin introduced the slower they became, whilst Lance Stroll was also rarely able to help Alonso score big points. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

2023 is still a season for the team to be massively proud of, despite dropping to fifth not feeling great. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alonso still rates 2023 as one of the “best” season’s in his F1 career, alongside 2012 where he lost the title to Sebastian Vettel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis is Formula 1, not a charity event,\u201d insisted Alonso. \u201cWe have to have the pressure to deliver.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe fifth in the constructors\u2019 (championship) hurts a little bit because I think we were better than that. We were hoping for better than that at the beginning of the year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Lando Norris lashes out at journalist over \u2018BFF\u2019 comment https:\/\/t.co\/0ayaJw3MZL<\/a><\/p>— Formula1News.co.uk (@Formula1newsUK) December 2, 2023<\/a><\/blockquote>