03/08/2025 10:40
Aston Martin drivers Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll have agreed
on the reason behind their impressive Hungarian GP qualifying
result. Alonso is fifth on the Budapest grid, just ahead of Stroll
in sixth for the team's best two-car qualifying result since a
three-four at the 2023 Sao Paulo Grand Prix. The result comes a
week after the team was 19th and 20th on pure pace for the Belgian
Grand Prix, with both cars fighting near the top of the time sheets
throughout practice, with Alonso second fastest in Q1 and Stroll
third quickest in Q2 - the first time this season the Canadian has
placed a session in the top three. After a spree of recent
upgrades, the team has settled upon combining its Imola floor with
a new-spec front-wing for Hungary, but both drivers have agreed
track characteristics played a stronger role in the result than car
performance. "I would say it is due to the track characteristics,
as to be honest, we didn't change the car massively since seven
days ago [in Belgium]," Alonso told media, including
RacingNews365. "No new parts for anybody at this race, and it is
just the layout, the characteristics of this circuit suiting our
car. "It will be nice to understand why the car is operating in
this sweetspot, because if we can understand that, we can use it
for the next races. "If we can finish in the same positions as we
start, fifth and sixth would be lovely, and if we can recover any
places, that will be good, but there will be some threats from
behind, some fast cars with Max [Verstappen in eighth] and Lewis
[Hamilton in 12th]." As for Stroll, he added that the team would
have "definitely signed up for" the result coming into the weekend.
"I think it is more than just the floor and stuff, I think it is
the track which really suits our car," Stroll added when questioned
by media , including RacingNews365. "When we put the downforce on,
and conditions are cool and there is not much wind, we are where we
need to be with the performance, and all weekend it has been up
there and in the window since the first lap of FP1. "We definitely
would have signed up for fifth and sixth coming into the weekend
after being 19th and 20th last week." The article continues below.
Alonso's injury concern Alonso heads into the race with a small
muscle injury in his back, which caused him to miss FP1 to rest.
However, the Spanish racer has adapted his seat to aid comfort and
is prepared for the 70-lap race. "Obviously, when the car is a
little bit faster, you will not enjoy watching on TV, but I would
have enjoyed watching Spa if I had missed that race. "I got a
little hurt in the race with the seat and have a muscle tear, so it
needs a little relaxation, and I'll have four weeks after the race,
and I will enjoy summer."
