Aston Martin had a fantastic start with a podium on the first Sunday of the 2023 season at the Bahrain Grand Prix. With Fernando Alonso, the 2x WDC champion, on board with Lance Stroll as a teammate and the new and powerful AMR23, Aston Martin has set a benchmark with a brilliant start. They are hoping to deliver tough competition to the leading teams of Red Bull, Ferrari, and Mercedes.
The team’s podium finish at the first race of the 2023 Formula One season was acknowledged by Sebastian Vettel, the former driver at Aston Martin who announced his retirement during mid-season 2022 and is famously known for his 4x WDC win.
Fernando Alonso’s chief mechanic Mikey Brown confirmed “Sebastian Vettel texted me on Sunday, after the race, and was so happy for us. He didn’t have to do it, and you know it’s just nice to hear from him.” during an interview with PitStop.
Seb Texted Mikey Brown after the #BahrainGP and he was very happy for the team😭💚#SV5 #Vettel #Seb5 pic.twitter.com/RbhpgznacD
— Sebastian Vettel Updates (@ocsebvettel) March 11, 2023
Brown stated that Vettel got along well with every member of the crew and delivered a message of congratulations to them. Brown thinks the team’s podium position was well earned as they were able to overtake two of their competitors, Ferrari and Mercedes on the racetrack. According to his assessment of the AMR23’s testing lap times, it was a well-balanced and powerful machine.
Vettel’s retirement and its domino effect
Sebastian Vettel is not just a four times winner of the WDC but according to fans, he was and will remain their favorite driver on the grid. A driver of German roots, Vettel made his way into Formula one back in 2007 with the BMW Sauber F1 team. He was one of the two drivers at Aston Martin from 2021 to 2022 before his retirement.
Four days after Aston Martin announced Fernando Alonso will take Sebastian Vettel’s spot in the team, the German driver declared his intention to retire at the end of the then-current season. Consequently, Alpine announced Oscar Piastri, who had already signed with McLaren as their driver for 2023.
NEWS: @AstonMartinF1 announces Fernando Alonso for 2023.
— Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant F1 Team (@AstonMartinF1) August 1, 2022
We are delighted to confirm that two-time #F1 World Champion @alo_oficial will join the team from next season on a multi-year contract.
Tap below to read more. ⬇️#WeClimbTogether
But, the Formula 1 body that resolves contractual issues, the Contract Recognition Board, ruled in favor of McLaren for Piastri. The team agreed with the board’s judgment, and Piastri said that decision after the C.R.B. hearing had been an emotional experience. He claimed that he had been working towards it ever since he first started racing, about 11 or 12 years ago.
After a standout junior career in which he won the Formula Renault Eurocup in 2019, the Formula 3 championship the following year, and the F2 championship in 2021, Piastri has become a rising talent. He currently is a reserve driver for Alpine.
Alpine resorted to Pierre Gasly of AlphaTauri when Piastri left for McLaren as he had the F.I.A. Super License to race in Formula 1. Although AlphaTauri announced the hiring of de Vries in October, Alpine announced the signing of Gasly. The decision raised concerns about how Gasly and his teammate Esteban Ocon would get along given that both drivers are from France and have had issues while competing in karting. Since they were 6 years old.
BREAKING: Pierre Gasly has signed with @AlpineF1Team on a multi-year contract from 2023 onwards.#F1 pic.twitter.com/1ztddsvspD
— Formula 1 (@F1) October 8, 2022
After three seasons with the squad, Nicholas Latifi announced his departure in September, according to Williams. In the interim, before he receives a Super License, Williams then elevated Logan Sargeant, a student in its driving program, to fill the position.
The teams allowed all of the drivers to participate in a test day with their new cars following the Abu Dhabi event. Drivers generally have to wait until the new year to start working.
Alonso said that he was 90% satisfied with the move when they started developing and concluded the season on a high.
Will Sebastian Vettel make a comeback?
Brown, who had been with Aston Martin through its transition, from Force India to Racing Point and then finally coming in as Aston Martin, also talked about his experience and working with GOATs along with Alonso’s contribution to the development of AMR23.
Danke, Seb 💚
— Formula 1 (@F1) November 20, 2022
Although Mikey had nothing to say about Vettel’s comeback in F1, it is not impossible with other older drivers active on the grid, the biggest example Fernando Alonso himself being 41 years and still in good shape.
It will be a state of euphoria for Formula 1 fans if ever the German driver decides to make a comeback as one can never stay away from one’s ‘roots’.
Discussion about this post