Aston Martin Surprises with Strong Qualifying at Hungarian Grand Prix

BUDAPEST, Hungary — Aston Martin made an impressive leap from last place at Spa-Francorchamps to qualifying fifth and sixth at the Hungarian Grand Prix on Saturday.

Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll will start from the third row of the grid in Sunday’s race, showcasing a remarkable improvement for the team in just a week. Alonso acknowledged the necessity to understand the factors behind this turnaround.

“We need to understand why because six days ago in Quali in Spa we were 19th and 20th, and now we are fifth and sixth,” Alonso said. “The car didn’t change much for anybody and it seemed that this layout and these characteristics are better for our package.”

The team’s strong performance came after missing out on Practice 1, yet Thursday’s sessions brought encouragement with Alonso finishing in the top five. Stroll noted the car felt good throughout the weekend and attributed the success to favorable conditions. “It was really good; the car’s been in the window since the first lap of FP1,” Stroll said.

Alonso pointed to continued upgrades as a factor in the team’s performance improvements, highlighting the impact of their new front wing. “All three upgrades delivered exactly what we were expecting, so this is very encouraging for next year’s project,” he stated.

As they prepare for the race, Alonso expressed cautious optimism about maintaining their positions. “It would be huge for the team if we can finish in the starting positions,” he said.

Stroll echoed his teammate’s sentiments, excited by the car’s speed and performance. He acknowledged that track characteristics played a crucial role. “Putting on the downforce and not too much wind out there today, coolish conditions, so I think kind of the stars aligned for us,” he said.

Despite this success, Alonso remained aware of the challenges ahead, particularly with fast competitors like Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton starting behind them. “It’s not going to be easy,” he cautioned, as both champions qualified in P8 and P12 respectively.