Miguel A. Herguedas

Updated Tuesday, February 13, 2024-00:08

  • AMR-24 The "strong evolution" of "a more off-road car"

  • Spanish GP A fast, technical and future circuit: "Madrid will be challenging for the drivers"

  • F1 in Madrid From Graham Hill to war with Balestre

Aston Martin snatched

Dan Fallows

from Red Bull to build a car with which to fight for victories. The disciple of the great

Adrian Newey

had so much prestige in the

paddock

that his signing raised enormous expectations within

Lawrence Stroll

's team . In fact, from the brand new Silverstone factory there was a certain impatience before the first complete creation of Fallows, who last year was not able to participate in the design from scratch. That countdown ended yesterday, when the sports director of Aston Martin presented the AMR-24, the car with which

Fernando Alonso

intends to fight Red Bull itself.

Fallows faced a double challenge for this 2024 World Championship. Firstly, he had to improve performance on high-speed circuits, such as Monza or Spa, generating greater downforce and increasing top speed. Secondly, the new concept of the car would have to facilitate its own evolution throughout the year. That is, Aston Martin would have to anticipate in the race for development, lost to Mercedes, Ferrari and McLaren throughout 2023, when it went from six almost consecutive podiums to plummeting to the bottom.

With these two priorities on the table, in a climate of general optimism, Aston Martin early yesterday offered the first images of its car, which hours later rolled on the asphalt of Silverstone. "The AMR24 has run very well and without problems throughout the day. It has been a fruitful filming, with the opportunity to get some data during the 200 km," said

Tom McCullough

, Aston Martin's performance director, about the aforementioned

filming day

.

After a first look at the models presented by video, the majority of analysts concluded that the AMR-24 did not present radical new features compared to 2023. Firstly, due to the stability of the technical regulations, which restricts the creativity of engineers. Secondly, because many changes cannot be perceived with the naked eye, since they are mounted in areas of the car that are inaccessible to cameras.

floating pontoons

In any case, the side of the car presented a striking reduction in the intake intakes. Some tiny pontoons, which some were quick to describe as floating, in line with what was shown last year by Red Bull. Minimizing this air intake also reduces engine cooling, although Aston Martin hopes not to jeopardize the reliability of its Mercedes engine.

Other aerodynamic measures that attracted attention were the rear wing tip, with a quite risky design, and the nose, narrower and noticeably shorter than that of 2023. This nose now ends higher off the ground, so the AMR-24 should gain flexibility and better air channeling.

As Fallows himself clarified, the AMR-24 will also completely renew its flat bottom and rear diffuser. Not to mention the changes to the suspension, where a pushrod will now be used both at the front and at the rear, following the path set by Red Bull. This aspect is another novelty compared to 2023, when the Silverstone team was forced to use a pull rod at the rear, given that Mercedes, its supplier, had opted for this system.

The deficit against McLaren

In this way, it seems clear that Fallows has squeezed the regulations to multiply performance on the track. Also in the qualifying sessions, where Aston Martin was unable to extract the maximum potential from its tires. Now, twisting the rule, following some guidelines from his teacher Newey, may not be enough for a team that three months ago lost three tenths per lap to McLaren in Q3 of the Abu Dhabi GP. Although Fallows' developments seem attractive today, they will soon be examined against those of Red Bull, Mercedes or Ferrari.

And not only the fate of the team led by

Mike Krack

will depend on what happens in the first half of the championship , but also the future of Alonso himself. Because if expectations are not met, the Spaniard, who will turn 43 on July 29, could consider retiring. "It's a decision I have to make with myself, because if I commit myself for the next few years of my life I will give that team 100% of my time. Once I make that decision, I want to sit down with Aston Martin, and say, ' OK, I have decided this and I would love to continue with this project,'" the two-time world champion revealed yesterday.

Based on these words, his commitment to Aston Martin seems a priority. However, if the history of the Great Circus has taught anything, it is that emotional bonds can be extinguished at the stroke of a pen. Especially if other variables come into play. Like the ones that his own agent

Flavio Briatore

was in charge of airing yesterday

, who advertised an informal meeting in Monaco with

Toto Wolff

, Mercedes'

main team

. Asked about this issue, Alonso was lapidary: "On the subject of Mercedes, nothing, nothing at all."