Alonso hopes Aston Martin can carry Sepang form into Singapore

After Sunday's race at Sepang, Fernando Alonso said Aston Martin had been more competitive there and hoped to carry that form into the Singapore Grand Prix, where he said the team had some hope on paper. The result ended Aston Martin's wait for points since August, but Chief Trackside Officer Mike Krack said the team still lacked the pace to score regularly.

Alonso started from P12 and finished eighth in the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia, while Lance Stroll finished 12th. It was the first race this season in which both Aston Martin cars reached Q2.

The race began on a wet but drying track, and Aston chose medium slicks. Stroll switched quickly to intermediates, while Alonso stayed out; he said the tyre choice put the team in a difficult position. A Safety Car then gave Alonso an opportunity to make progress, and George Russell's late retirement and a mishap for Lando Norris helped lift him to eighth.

Before Sunday's race, Alonso said the car had been unchanged since Budapest and that Aston Martin's competitiveness depended on circuit layout and the number of straights. After the race, he credited Sepang's circuit for the stronger showing. Krack said the team would analyse why it had been more competitive in Malaysia and how it could benefit from that performance. The Singapore Grand Prix is scheduled for 9–11 October.