Mike Krack, Aston Martin track manager: “It is clear that Alonso feels that something is possible. We are quite confident for this weekend. If there is an opportunity, he will not fail”

Aston Martin This weekend has been marked in red on the calendar for a long time. I already had Hungarydue to the arrival of the expected evolution of the chassis of Adrian Neweywhich meant a significant weight loss and improvement. AND Zandvoortwhere the engine was going to be less important. But above all, this weekend’s GP, the F1 Singapore GPdue to the unimportance of an engine as lacking in power on a straight line as the Honda, and due to the good performance that the chassis can have on this ratty track.

But there is one more factor that both Aston Martin and Honda cling to: the ‘Alonso Factor’, capable of taking advantage of any opportunity, maximizing the potential of the car and aspiring, thanks to his intelligence and race reading, always to something more than what the simulations indicate.

and in Singapore That should be key to qualify for the points and perhaps the best result of the year, after Fernando will achieve the best position for a Aston Martin of this course just a week ago with a perfect race in Malaysia.

For months now, Fernando and the team have been pointing towards Singapore as the route that should best adapt to the characteristics of the car. And in it, Aston Martin Track Manager Mike Krack and Honda Track Manager Shintaro Orihara are optimistic before the action begins.

At a press conference, in statements reported by ‘Motorsport.com’, Mike Krack praised what Fernando did in Sepang and made it clear that he sees something special in the Spaniard this weekend.

“I think Fernando was first last year in FP1 and fourth in FP2. And we didn’t have either the fourth car or the first. So I think this is a circuit where you have to make it to qualifying without a lot of practice. You have to do it right from the beginning,” Mike said.

“He is one of those drivers who, if there is an opportunity, he will not miss it. You can see it in the way we do the reports, in the questions… You can see that he feels that something is possible. It is difficult to explain, but you see it,” added the Luxembourger.

Fernando stands out, among many things, for his speed in adapting to all the tracks, something crucial in a sprint weekend like Singapore, with only one free practice session to approach the walls. Thus, the sprint classification could be Fernando’s great option to shine, although it must be taken into account that the car is showing that it performs better in a long run than in a lap, but on this track, where it is difficult to overtake, it will be crucial for him to achieve a good position on both grids.

“This circuit should go well for us. And it is also a sprint weekend, which also brings its challenges, Plus, we always have changing weather here, so I think it could be an opportunity. But we must not make mistakes. You know I always say the same thing, because it always applies. But we’re pretty confident for this weekend,” Krack said.

Optimism at Honda

For his part, Shintaro Orihara spoke of the motivation generated by Fernando Alonso’s eighth position in the Bahrain GP held in Malaysia throughout the team and among the staff of the Japanese manufacturer.

“It was a big boost all week, because we all traveled together from Malaysia, and then, during Monday and Tuesday, you could see that it was a relief. It was a relief to get good points and this will help us all. And now, upon arriving in Singapore, we are motivated to continue,” commented Orihara, as reported by ‘Motorsport.com’.

Shintaro highlighted the good performance of the car and the engine in very atypical conditions: in rain, where the specific software FIA rain limit limits the electrical power of the power units from 350 kW to 250and in those conditions, with less electrical energy available, Honda saw positive things, seeing that its engine accompanied the car in Fernando’s comeback.

“We learned interesting things in rainy conditions in Malaysia. We didn’t lack energy. The recharge level of the MGU-K was different from any other circuit in that we had an abundance of energy. We can take that learning to Singapore, where there might also be enough battery. I think our manageability is improving and we will try to adjust it to Singapore,” he said at a press conference in the team’s hospitality, according to ‘Diario AS’.

In that sense, Honda made it clear that the “handling” of the engine in Malaysia “was not easy” and they set the goal of getting this point right because of how crucial it is that the drivers can push with everything, without strange and random behavior of the engine and gears.

“We made progress in Madrid to improve drivability. It is a sprint weekend so it is even more important to get it right from the only free practice and since it is an urban circuit, it is complicated for drivability. The walls are close, there are no escapes and it is essential that the drivers have confidence in the car,” said the Japanese.