Aston Martin sees Singapore as a chance to build on Alonso’s Sepang result

Aston Martin sees Singapore as a fresh opportunity after Fernando Alonso finished eighth in the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia, held at Sepang. Ahead of the Singapore weekend, Chief Trackside Officer Mike Krack said Marina Bay should suit the car: it has fewer long straights and is less dependent on power than some recent and upcoming circuits.

Krack’s confidence comes with conditions: he says the Sprint format leaves little practice before qualifying to get the set-up right, while the weather is uncertain and the track will evolve over the weekend. The team must avoid mistakes, he said.

Krack also linked the Sepang result to its unusually rough surface. He said the low grip meant more of the lap was spent in grip-limited, lower-speed sections, where Aston Martin was strong, and that other manufacturers may also have had problems.

Alonso says the car, set-up and power unit were unchanged from Baku, despite a huge performance difference. He attributes the swing to circuit layout and the straights: Singapore could be a relatively competitive weekend for Aston Martin, while some other tracks may leave the team near the back.

Team-mate Lance Stroll also sees Singapore as a better fit on paper because it has more corners than long straights, although he still expects Aston Martin to lose time on the straights. He called the relief after Sepang temporary and said the team still needs more power.