Two-time Formula 1 world champion Fernando Alonso has vowed to utilise his ‘hyperfocus’ to help Aston Martin as he prepares for his second season with the iconic manufacturers. Alonso finished fourth in the 2023 Drivers’ Championship, enjoying a stunning start to the campaign before Aston Martin’s advantage dissipated.
When the 2023 F1 season began back in March, Aston Martin flew out the blocks and showcased an impressive upgrade in performance as Alonso secured six podiums in the first seven races. But the team failed to sustain their impressive form and slipped to a P5 finish in the Constructors’ Championship.
While performance dipped down the stretch as McLaren and other rivals improved, Alonso still finished ahead of both Ferrari drivers and Lando Norris in the standings. Aston Martin ended 2023 as the fifth-fastest team, and their hopes of re-discovering their best form is unclear.
However, Alonso explained what is needed if Aston Martin are to return to the top of the grid in 2024. In a video on the team’s YouTube channel, the 42-year-old said: “I’m constantly thinking about ways of getting faster behind the wheel and being a better driver.
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“You rewatch some of the races (from last year) that happened as well and maybe you see different lines, different strategies for all the teams, the drivers, so that curiosity, from the driver point of view, of getting better is always there. You never stop learning and you never stop getting better, so you have to be motivated to embrace those lessons.
“To win in Formula 1 you have to be extremely focused – hyper-focused. To make a difference, you need to give that extra commitment, that extra determination. Hyperfocus is definitely the word if we want to succeed in F1.”
Aston Martin are set to continue its five-year plan for F1 title success, with a deal secured to switch to Honda power for 2026 when the new regulations are unleashed. Honda played a crucial role in Red Bull’s current rise to F1 dominance, acting as their power unit and assisting in the Milton Keynes-based team’s launch of Red Bull Powertrains.
With the future looking bright, Alonso is hopeful the present can be better. He is confident the 2024 season will bring further success for the Spaniard with the British manufacturers.
“Hyperfocus means total dedication to what you do, to be united now, to also send a message to everyone that we are here to work 24 hours, seven days a week, and be ready for the new season,” Alonso added. “Everyone is 100 percent.
“2023 was an incredible season, and 2024 is going to be even better.”
The 2024 F1 season begins with the Bahrain Grand Prix on 2 March.
