ASTON MARTIN WILL CATCH UP: ALONSO

Spaniard optimistic about new Fl campaign as designer Newey prepares to join in March

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Fernando Alonso expects Aston Martin to start the Formula One season in a much better place after learning some hard lessons in 2024.

The Silverstone-based team, who showed off their new Mercedes-powered AMR25 car online on Feb 23 before testing in Bahrain starts on Feb 26, finished fifth for the second year running in 2024.

Expectations had been high after two-time world champion Alonso took six podiums in the first eight races of 2023 but the Spaniard failed to finish higher than fifth in 2024, while teammate Lance Stroll's best 2024 finish was sixth.

Dan Fallows, who was technical director, was replaced last November, with the team bringing in former Ferrari technical director Enrico Cardile and Red Bull's titlewinning designer Adrian Newey, who joins in March.

The season starts in Australia on March 16.

"I think we did learn a lot last year. The second part of the season was sort of experiments going on just in the way of learning even more things into the 2025 car," Alonso told reporters.