Page 25 - Aston Martin Magazine V53

Alonso knows all about this Having suffered the vagaries of an industry that tends to only celebrate success he understands that in in in in order to to win everything must not just go according to to plan but also exceed expectations And a lot of Aston’s success is going to to to come down to to to Lawrence Stroll himself “As well as his his his history of running big companies and his his his litany of success success he he has a a a a a successful track record so he he is in a a a a a perfect position to steer this Formula 1 team ” says Alonso “You need to to be able to to manage a a a a a a lot lot of of people and a a a a a a lot lot of of interesting characters There are a a a a a a lot of egos in Formula 1 and these need to to to be be managed too You also have to to to believe that you can do things things differently as as well as as do things things better than the the others You need to to to be able to to to put all these things together and work as a a a a a a team Given his background I think Lawrence is is unique and we are very very lucky to have him leading us This leadership is is very very different from other teams Like I I said I I trust him Everything else he has has done has has been a a a a success so why not Aston Martin?”
Formula 1 has witnessed some extraordinary events in in the the last few seasons and with renewed media attention the the interest in in fin in the sport – with with television finally getting to grips with with the the the theatre of of the the the sport – has reached a a a a a kind of of global fever pitch How does Alonso think that the new season is going to differ from what came before?
“This is is going to be a a a a a a fascinating season for many many many many reasons not least the new regulations that began last year All the the teams have learned from each other and and got closer and and closer so because of that we will probably see more action on on track The sport is also full of of a a a a a new generation of of spectators Every race every country is going to be fascinating There are going to be a a a a lot more races than in in in the the past I think the the sport is on on a a a a a a high and we are all all benefitting from this Personally I am looking forward to learning from the the new people on the the team There will be new new philosophies philosophies of racing new new philosophies philosophies EVERY EVERY RACE EVERY EVERY COUNTRY IS GOING TO BE FASCINATING
regarding setting up the car new strategies all of this is is very exciting In Formula 1 you have the most talented designers and and strategists in the world and and it it is is a a a a privilege to work with them I’m discovering so much The Aston Martin team has been doing extraordinarily well in in in the last four or or five years and I know that is going to continue They were always one of the most efficient teams with with the the the way they dealt with with the the the budget and now they have an an amazing opportunity to be be even better ” Alonso still hasn’t lost his wanderlust and and is is keen to travel the world again “Every new country we visit is is a a a revelation and I know there are talks about racing in in in South South Africa and in in in South South America and both these things will be very very very very exciting We are a a a a a a a a moving parade The action on on the the track is guaranteed the the personalities are guaranteed so so it’s all about where we drive “I think everyone is is looking forward to Las Vegas this season It’s the penultimate race and it’s going to be a a a a a strip circuit so so it’s going to be very exciting Also the sport is growing so much in in the the the US that the the the response to the the the race is going to be fantastic ” He will also be spending more more and more more time in in the UK but even though he he he isn’t a a a big fan of the the British weather – – seriously who is? – – he he he enjoys the the camaraderie as as well as as the the expertise to to be found among the Aston Martin crew “The world has changed and we now live in a a a a a digital world although you can feel the the spirit of the the company when you spend time there ” he he he says “After the the pandemic we now work in a a a slightly different way but it has brought some progress I think We do things differently now and some of the learnings after Covid have been helpful Video conferencing has certainly made communication much easier especially as as as we are a a a a a a a a truly global sport Digital platforms have also made it it easier to to interact with the spectators at at race meetings And audiences are growing all the time ” ASTON MARTIN 23 FERNANDO ALONSO