"Let's not start dreaming”: Aston Martin boss wants to keep their 'feet on the ground' despite an impressive preseason testing 

The Aston Martin F1 team showed promise during Bahrain testing, with pundits suggesting that they could potentially be in the mix for constructors this season. Fernando Alonso completed a race distance late on the final day, drawing attention by running a medium-hard-medium tire combination that saw him improve throughout.

While the AMR23 didn't figure high on headline times, the final long run was significant. Team principal Mike Krack urged caution, noting that the AMR23 had the advantage of a well-rubbered track that helped Alonso's final run. Krack told the media:

"So again, it is nice to have good long runs, but still you need to really put them into the right context, and let's not start dreaming."

Krack continued, saying the team would not be overconfident after their impressive test runs. He said:

"I think we did a bit more than 350 laps over the three days, which is quite good. So from that point of view, we are quite happy that we managed to complete all what we wanted to complete. You always want to do much more than you can do in three days. You are always having questions."

Despite the optimism surrounding the team's performance, Aston Martin is well aware of the challenges ahead. The cost cap breach punishments levied on the team for breaking the 2021 cap means that they must now operate within a strict budget. This makes it more challenging to develop the car over the course of the season.

The team is also facing stiff competition from the likes of Mercedes, Ferrari, and Red Bull, who are all looking to assert their dominance in the upcoming season.

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Aston Martin Technical Director led the team to build the best possible launch spec car

Technical director Dan Fallows and his team developed the AMR23, and it pretty much represents a clean sheet of paper design. Aston Martin were determined to start 2023 with the best possible package, throwing everything they could into the launch spec. Krack said:

"The money you have to develop the car is really not high. So you have to start with a good baseline. And I think that was one of the objectives. The main things in F1 are always the same, where do you improve?"

Despite the challenges ahead, Aston Martin is confident that it can build on its success from the previous season and compete at the highest level in 2023. With a new car design, a talented driver lineup, and a dedicated team of engineers and technicians, the team is well-positioned to make a strong start to the season and challenge for race wins and podiums.