'We are all guessing': Fernando Alonso unsure of Aston Martin's competitiveness at the 2023 F1 Saudi Arabian GP

Aston Martin driver Fernando Alonso doesn’t have a definitive answer on whether they will be able to replicate the Bahrain GP performance in Jeddah. Speaking to media, including Sportskeeda, at the Saudi Arabian GP weekend, the Spaniard stated that it is a question that will only be answered on race day.

The two-time world champion believes Aston Martin has been in the process of fine tuning aspects of their process over the winter and that there is more progress to be made in the future.

When asked whether he could replicate Bahrain's performance, where he finished P3, in Saudi Arabia, Fernando Alonso replied:

“I wish I can have an answer. That’s the theme of the Thursday media appearances, that we are all guessing. So you know that’s the question if the performance in Jeddah will be the same as in Bahrain- we’ll just know on Sunday night. That’s it.”

Upon being asked if there were any plus points from Alpine’s work culture that he felt like replicating at Aston Martin, Fernando Alonso said:

“Nothing really that comes to my mind. We’ve been just fine tuning a few things in the way we prepare the race, in the way we approach the weekend, meeting wise, timing, presentation, focus on the important points, things that you work with your engineers and with the performance team on the weekends but also the factory simulator work."

"I think I’m happy with how things are going, but there is still more to come. Obviously we are only two or three months into their project and lot of people are new in the team, in the technical department where the sign off is, in the race weekends. So more things to come."

Speaking about the changes Aston Martin has made, the Spaniard revealed that most of the work involved introducing new organized ways of working over the weekend and at the factory. This included coordinated work between simulator drivers Stoffel Vandoorne and Felipe Drugovich and the drivers on the track.

Alonso feels there is still more progress to be made by Aston Martin as new personnel have been inducted into the team in the technical departments and garage.

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Fernando Alonso does not believe in paying much attention to Red Bull drivers’ remarks about their car

After the Bahrain GP, Red Bull drivers Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez took a jibe at Aston Martin's car, suggesting that it was another Red Bull on the podium. Verstappen finished P1 in Bahrain and Perez took P2.

Asked how he felt about the Red Bull drivers' remarks, given that AMR23 was different, Fernando Alonso responded:

“Nothing really to say. Obviously we are focused on ourselves. As you said, there are very obvious things on the car that are very different. So yeah I think it has been a tremendous effort from everyone in the team to build this car, very unique ideas on the car. I didn’t pay much attention and as you said they were not even true because the car is very different.”

While Aston Martin only showed glimpses of their true pace in Bahrain, their performance intimidated their engine provider’s factory team Mercedes as well as the reigning champions Red Bull.

After dominating all three practice sessions in Bahrain, Fernando Alonso was the favorite on Sunday. His third-place finish is considered to be only the beginning of what the AMR23 can deliver in terms of performance.

Despite the Spanish driver’s cautiously optimistic tone in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, further development on their car could place Aston Martin as a decent contender for the top two slots in the championship.