Aston Martin: Alonso has 'doubled' expectations since switch

Aston Martin Performance Director Tom McCullough has heaped praise on Fernando Alonso and the influence he has had since arriving at the team.

The two-time F1 World Champion moved to Aston Martin from Alpine over the winter and his arrival has coincided with a considerable upturn in form for the Silverstone-based outfit, which had finished seventh in the Constructors' standings last term with just 55 points.

But after another podium at the Dutch Grand Prix, Aston Martin sits third in this year's standings with 215 points, just 40 behind second-placed Mercedes.

On Alonso's impact, McCullough told media including RacingNews365.com: "We looked at him from outside when he was at Alpine and then we obviously knew him for years, having been in the paddock.

"He's obviously at a very high level and he’s pretty impressive as a driver. Actually, working with him is even double that.

"He's so motivated, he's so hard-working, his preparation, his questions. He knows to ask the right questions too. I often say the drivers are one of the best sensors in the car, and he's definitely one of those."

Aston Martin 'really enjoying' Alonso collaboration

McCullough added that Alonso's ability to multitask and focus on several areas of performance was also a valuable attribute in helping to push the team forward.

"You've got all your data, you're trying to correlate, develop, understand the very complex world that we live in, if you think about the tyres, the aerodynamics, everything else that's going on, and he has an ability to really understand that and to help you," said McCullough.

"He helps you on the big picture stuff, whether you're developing a car, race weekend execution or strategy.

"The smaller stuff is important, too. You need to be doing this to get good pit stops. His work ethic is second to none. We're really enjoying working with him.

"Even when we haven't been as competitive, he's been super supportive and strong, and he knows that now he can still do very well in this Championship."