Fernando Alonso's first day in Bahrain was marred by mechanical issues for Aston Martin, with Lance Stroll criticizing the performance and suggesting the car's design was its best feature.
Fernando Alonso completed his first day of testing in Bahrain with the Aston Martin AMR26, achieving the fourth best time of the day with 98 laps completed. Despite this decent performance, the mood at Aston Martin was significantly dampened by critical comments from driver Lance Stroll, who remarked that the best aspect of their new car was its decoration. Stroll contrasted his performance with leading drivers, expressing concerns over the car's competitiveness and the potential gap to the frontrunners.
The session was not without issues, as Stroll himself faced mechanical problems leading to him only completing 36 laps on a previous day due to a Honda engine failure. He quantified the performance deficit of the AMR26, indicating that they were lagging behind by as much as four and a half seconds per lap compared to the fastest teams. This raises significant concerns about the car's reliability and speed, key factors in their campaign for the upcoming season.
Aston Martin's aspirations for the season hinge on their ability to resolve these early problems and improve their car's competitiveness. With statements from Stroll suggesting a pessimistic outlook, it remains to be seen how the team will address these technical challenges moving forward, especially in the face of expectations to contend for wins rather than settling for mid-field positions.
