Aston Martin had an excellent start to the weekend in Brazil. At the Autódromo José Carlos Pace, both Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll impressively qualified in the top ten for the sprint race. Alonso finished in a strong fifth place, ahead of Max Verstappen (P6), while Stroll qualified seventh – his best sprint qualification since China earlier this year.
For the first time in months, Aston Martin managed to get both cars into the final part of the qualification. This suggests that the Silverstone team has made progress compared to previous weekends, when it often struggled to compete in the midfield. “It feels great to be back here at Interlagos,” Alonso said afterwards. “This circuit has always been very special to me. The car felt good in free practice, and to get into Q3 and finish fifth is a strong result. It gives the whole team a boost and it’s a positive start to the weekend. Hopefully, we can maintain this level tomorrow – although you never know what can happen here.”
Stroll, too, was pleased with his Friday in São Paulo. The Canadian reached Q3 for the first time since the Chinese Grand Prix and sees clear progress in the team. “It’s incredibly fun to drive here, and we’ve had a few nice laps today,” said Stroll. “The car felt good and we’re starting the sprint race tomorrow from P7. It’s still early in the weekend, so we’ll have to wait and see how it goes. Hopefully, we can fight for points – and with the chance of rain, anything can happen.”
Threatening Clouds Over Interlagos
The sprint race at Interlagos promises to be exciting, as the weather could again play a major role. A severe cyclone is moving across the Brazilian mainland and could cause heavy rainfall during both the sprint race and the qualification for Sunday’s Grand Prix. This could completely shake up the standings – something Aston Martin could potentially benefit from. The team hopes to capitalize on the strong form from the sprint qualification and compete for points with both cars again. These points are crucial for Aston Martin in the battle for sixth place in the constructors’ championship.
