Aston Martin provided an explanation for why they decided to abandon their new rear wing design during the Miami Grand Prix weekend. The team had introduced a revised rear wing in an attempt to improve their straight-line speed performance by reducing drag. However, after testing the updated wing in practice sessions, Aston Martin chose to revert to their previous configuration for the rest of the weekend. Aston Martin’s Team Principal, Mike Krack, revealed that the decision was influenced by the behavior of the Pirelli tires, which were particularly sensitive to slip when using a low downforce concept car like the AMR24. The team had to weigh the trade-off between downforce and maximum speed, choosing to prioritize stability over pure speed. Krack acknowledged that this is an ongoing debate within the team and that the drivers’ input is crucial in making such decisions. Despite the challenges faced by Aston Martin during the weekend, including both cars failing to reach Q3 in qualifying, Fernando Alonso managed to secure two points with a ninth-place finish in the race. Alonso admitted that Miami was expected to be a tough weekend for the team, but they were fortunate to benefit from the deployment of the Safety Car. Starting on the harder tire compound, the team had planned to pit later in the race, but the Safety Car period presented an opportunity to make an earlier stop. This strategic move, combined with the advantage of being on the medium tires while others were on the harder compound, played a role in Alonso’s ability to score points. He acknowledged that there is still room for improvement and that the team needs to find more speed to be more competitive.
