On the season-opener in Bahrain, Alonso certified sixth however slipped to ninth behind the Mercedes and McLaren drivers within the race, ending 74 seconds adrift of winner Max Verstappen.
Alonso certified fourth for the Saudi Arabian GP, however he quickly misplaced a spot to Oscar Piastri’s McLaren.
He then remained in fifth place all through the race, efficiently staying in entrance of the Mercedes of George Russell and ending 35 seconds behind Verstappen.
After a disappointing race in Bahrain, Alonso agreed that Jeddah represented a step ahead.
“I feel it was higher,” he mentioned. “We did introduce a brand new half on Friday that it labored very well. And I feel we made a step ahead when it comes to efficiency.
“However we nonetheless miss possibly two or three tenths in comparison with McLaren and Mercedes, and we are going to hold chasing that sort of efficiency. It’s difficult, nevertheless it’s a pleasant problem and an fascinating season forward.”
He added: “Proud of the race end result, in entrance of each Mercedes, one McLaren and one Ferrari. It is the utmost I feel we will want in the mean time.
“We noticed once more within the race that we nonetheless miss two or three tenths in comparison with Mercedes and McLaren, possibly a little bit bit extra in comparison with Purple Bull and Ferrari. Whereas in qualifying we appear fairly shut. So yeah, we have to hold engaged on the race tempo.”
Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin AMR24, Lando Norris, McLaren MCL38
Photograph by: Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images
Alonso admitted that he hadn’t anticipated to have the ability to keep forward of Russell, believing that the W15 had higher tempo.
“It was disturbing as a result of I used to be pushing and Oscar was simply pulling away,” he mentioned. “And George was considerably sooner behind, so I used to be considering, okay, it is 43 laps to the tip after the protection automobile.
“In FP2 we usually do 9 or ten laps on the long term. So to do 42 was, to illustrate, an unknown territory when it comes to tyre age. So yeah, I used to be simply ensuring that the technique was nonetheless a one-stop, and we did not change the plan.”
Aston Martin staff principal Mike Krack mentioned that it was too early to have a transparent image of the place the Silverstone staff stands within the pecking order.
“I feel we will safely say that we had a greater tempo,” he mentioned. “But additionally we mentioned after Bahrain let’s wait a few races to see the place we actually are, as a result of however Bahrain is actually an outlier.
“We now have seen that additionally previously. So I feel after we come again from Melbourne, we’ve image of the place everyone is when it comes to first lap, and in addition within the lengthy runs.”
Requested if the Jeddah efficiency was circuit-specific or associated to modifications, he mentioned: “I feel each. Our Friday race runs weren’t unbelievable.
“After which we tried to alter the automobile a little bit bit, to assist the tyres, to guard the tyres. And fortuitously, we didn’t lose something [in qualifying].
“After which clearly, the monitor with every lap is bettering, bettering. When you have got such excessive grip and excessive lateral corners, then the rubber that goes off the tyres goes onto the monitor, after which it will get simpler.”