'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wgARCAAHAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFgABAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYH/8QAFQEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAgT/2gAMAwEAAhADEAAAAM/liRf/xAAiEAACAAUDBQAAAAAAAAAAAAABAwIFEhMhAAQRIjFBQpH/2gAIAQEAAT8AnC5ttpaxzV7ZVTIrcdZIt56afJyM41DMGUi8wlntxz3+6//EABcRAAMBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACEQH/2gAIAQIBAT8AZ9sP/8QAFhEBAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQAS/9oACAEDAQE/AFzf/9k='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
F1 pundit Mark Hughes feels Aston Martin's improvement in pace was not solely because of the new upgrade package that the team brought in for the Canadian GP.
Fernando Alonso once again bagged a podium finish and was able to keep his old rival Lewis Hamilton behind him in third. Though the upgrade package must have helped the team, Hughes feels that the track has played a part as well.
Speaking on The Race F1 podcast, Hughes initially explained how the upgrade package cannot solely improve the performance by such a drastic measure. He said:
"I think it was probably more of track [that played the part in their performance], because if you look at the reduction in the gap at the end of the race, if you assume that the Red Bull stayed still, stayed where it was and didn't have any difficulties, and was at its normal potential, it would infer that the Red Bull upgrades are worth half a second. And I don't believe that it is; that would be an extraordinary upgrade."
Later, the F1 pundit clarified that he was not completely ruling out the upgrades' part in making Aston Martin even quicker but simply stated that the track also helped the British team. He feels there was a 70-30 ratio between the track and the car, helping the team close the gap on Red Bull. Hughes concluded:
"But that's not to say that the upgrade is not giving them something. I just don't think it's giving them as much as it would appear from the result. I think that's more... if you are trying to access it, you are just in the realm of educated guesswork, but I'd say it's probably 70-30 track to car [ratio] in terms of the update."
Fernando Alonso concerned about less practice sessions to test Aston Martin's upgrades in upcoming Austrian GP
Fernando Alonso expressed his concerns about the upcoming 2023 F1 Austrian GP and the race's sprint race format. Since Aston Martin still needs to fully understand and learn about the new upgrades, Alonso feels the upcoming race weekend will not be the best for the team.
After the Canadian GP, he said:
"Yeah, Austria, yeah, let’s see. I think the sprint weekend will not be ideal for us. We still have more time maybe of free practice with our new upgraded car. We still need to understand and optimize the package a little bit and in Austria, obviously, with the sprint, we will have only FP1 to do that. But yeah, it is what it is."
Usually, the sprint race format drastically reduces the practice time teams get in traditional formats. Aston Martin brought a massive car to Montreal and still need more time to fully optimize it for future races.
