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Former F1 and Le Mans racer David Kennedy feels Fernando Alonso is not extracting the optimal level of performance from the AM23. He believes that the Aston Martin driver might not be performing at his absolute best due to his age.
The 41-year-old Spaniard has been a revelation this season. He has been one of the most consistent drivers on the grid with five podiums in seven races this season.
However, Kennedy believes that a younger, faster driver would have guided Aston Martin to victory in Monaco. Alonso finished P2 in the slowest race of the season after missing out on pole position to Red Bull's Max Verstappen, who won the Monaco GP.
When asked if the AM23 has more potential than suggested by Fernando Alonso's performances, Kennedy told PlanetF1:
"Yes, I do. There’s an old Japanese saying, having driven with the Japanese for 10 years, you don’t invest in an old samurai."
Kennedy did, however, stated that what Alonso loses in raw speed, he makes up for with his race craft, experience, and awareness. He added:
“Where he will lose in that, he will bring his knowledge of the circuits, his knowledge of the car, and myriad other pieces that a warrior like him can add to it. Even in numerous ways that aren’t as obvious, like encouraging an engineer that he thinks that might have something at his fingertips, or data analysis that’s able to bring in something that they haven’t been able to see and see that they can make a difference. The benefit of his experience is invaluable.”
Fernando Alonso had the car to secure pole position in Monaco
Kennedy believes that Fernando Alonso had the car to secure pole position in Monaco, but he lost out because of the edge he has lost with age. He said:
“I think he had a car that could have put it on pole in Monaco. It was just that last several hundredths of a second. It is just nature’s way and you can’t beat it. There are drivers and whether they take it on one, two, or even three years – it just slips away. We’ve seen it time and time again over the years. It’s a hard fact but that’s nature’s course.”
While Alonso was in a position to secure the pole for his team in Monaco, it's difficult to put too much blame on the Spaniard, considering Verstappen's heroics in qualifying. Kennedy called Verstappen's remarkable lap in qualifying "Senna-esque," comparing him to F1 legend Ayrton Senna.
