Aston Martin unveiled their most significant upgrade of the season at the Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal, but according to technical boss Dan Fallows, the team is uncertain about the impact it will have on lap times.
The first practice session on Friday encountered a setback when Pierre Gasly of Alpine encountered trouble on the track, resulting in red flags and a subsequent delay due to malfunctioning CCTV. The session did not resume as a result.
Consequently, the drivers were granted an extended FP2 session, during which Fernando Alonso completed 38 laps, with his best time falling 0.326 seconds short of Lewis Hamilton’s leading time in the Mercedes. Lance Stroll, on the other hand, covered 31 laps and trailed by an additional four-tenths of a second.
While on the surface it may seem like a positive start for Aston Martin, Fallows has tempered expectations.
“The update we introduced is physically the most significant part we have put on the car—it’s enormous,” Fallows explained. “However, whenever you make a change to the floor, it represents a considerable update.”
He continued, “We have observed that the floors and engine covers have been areas of intense development. This is something we have been working on for quite some time. We have evolved our previous concept, which is why we have introduced it here. It is indeed a good step forward.”
Fallows acknowledged that the true impact of the upgrade on lap times remains to be seen, and the team will closely analyze the data to determine its effectiveness.
As Aston Martin continues to fine-tune its car throughout the weekend in Montreal, they will be eagerly monitoring the performance of the upgrade and hoping it translates into improved lap times, giving them a competitive edge in the fiercely contested Formula 1 field.
