Aston Martin pinpoint reason behind remarkable turnaround after F1 nightmare

Aston Martin drivers Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll have agreed on the reason behind their impressive Hungarian GP qualifying result. 

Alonso is fifth on the Budapest grid, just ahead of Stroll in sixth for the team's best two-car qualifying result since a three-four at the 2023 Sao Paulo Grand Prix. 

The result comes a week after the team was 19th and 20th on pure pace for the Belgian Grand Prix, with both cars fighting near the top of the time sheets throughout practice, with Alonso second fastest in Q1 and Stroll third quickest in Q2 - the first time this season the Canadian has placed a session in the top three.

After a spree of recent upgrades, the team has settled upon combining its Imola floor with a new-spec front-wing for Hungary, but both drivers have agreed track characteristics played a stronger role in the result than car performance.

"I would say it is due to the track characteristics, as to be honest, we didn't change the car massively since seven days ago [in Belgium]," Alonso told media, including RacingNews365. 

"No new parts for anybody at this race, and it is just the layout, the characteristics of this circuit suiting our car. 

"It will be nice to understand why the car is operating in this sweetspot, because if we can understand that, we can use it for the next races. 

"If we can finish in the same positions as we start, fifth and sixth would be lovely, and if we can recover any places, that will be good, but there will be some threats from behind, some fast cars with Max [Verstappen in eighth] and Lewis [Hamilton in 12th]."

As for Stroll, he added that the team would have "definitely signed up for" the result coming into the weekend.

"I think it is more than just the floor and stuff, I think it is the track which really suits our car," Stroll added when questioned by media, including RacingNews365. 

"When we put the downforce on, and conditions are cool and there is not much wind, we are where we need to be with the performance, and all weekend it has been up there and in the window since the first lap of FP1. 

"We definitely would have signed up for fifth and sixth coming into the weekend after being 19th and 20th last week."

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Alonso's injury concern

Alonso heads into the race with a small muscle injury in his back, which caused him to miss FP1 to rest. 

However, the Spanish racer has adapted his seat to aid comfort and is prepared for the 70-lap race.

"Obviously, when the car is a little bit faster, you will not enjoy watching on TV, but I would have enjoyed watching Spa if I had missed that race.

"I got a little hurt in the race with the seat and have a muscle tear, so it needs a little relaxation, and I'll have four weeks after the race, and I will enjoy summer."