The partnership between Aston Martin and Honda in Formula 1 began with difficulties: the Japanese manufacturer’s power unit has faced performance and reliability problems, directly affecting the British team’s start to the season and bringing back unpleasant memories for Fernando Alonso, who faced a difficult phase with the engine brand during his last stint at McLaren.
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Given the scenario, Alonso stated that today he sees that period with more maturity, but disagrees with how it was interpreted at the time: “I think I can see things now with a different perspective and with more maturity, but I don’t think ten years ago things were that dramatic,” he told the press.
The Spaniard also highlighted how Formula 1 amplifies narratives in different contexts: “This is Formula 1, a very media-centric sport. When you win a few championships just by racing against your teammate, you are God, and when you are struggling and going through a difficult period, everything is also amplified.”
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He also commented on the perception of the old McLaren-Honda partnership and stated that other drivers shared the same assessment at the time: “…McLaren, Stoffel [Vandoorne], Jenson [Button] and I — because people always seem to remember only Fernando, but I think Jenson, Stoffel and McLaren, we were all saying the same thing — that project, the power unit, was not mature enough when we started…”
Alonso also responded to criticism about his radio reactions during that period. “There were some frustrations on the radio, which yes, existed, and as a two-time world champion and competitive driver, I was not happy with the situation… And now what I can do in the team is just work harder, try to help Honda as much as possible… for the vibration problems, for the power delivery issues. So, we are a team. It’s a bumpy start, but I hope it doesn’t last too long. But it also won’t be an immediate solution.”
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