Fernando Alonso is bracing for a challenging triple-header sequence of F1 weekends, describing it as "painful."
Following a successful year with multiple podiums in 2023, the Aston Martin team is now finding it difficult even to make it into Q3 and secure a few points.
In his home race in Barcelona, Alonso managed to qualify in P11.
"This team has been in the building phase for a year and a half and I think we are now in a strong position for the future," he shared with Spanish journalists. "So I am very calm, but the present is what matters in racing and the present is today, the present is Barcelona."
"It is painful now, but I am calm. This circuit shows you the level of your car, because it is quite complete in terms of layout. And this is the real level of Aston, and what the level will be in the next races."
"For here, it's as I said, and in Austria and Silverstone too. Then in Hungary, I hope that a new world championship can start for us," Alonso expressed.
Discussions of further podium finishes are currently on hold.
"We have to think big, but talking now about getting a podium when we don't even enter Q3 and we use three sets of tyres in Q1 seems a bit risky," the 42-year-old remarked.
"But we're not even halfway through the year, and we've already seen McLaren and the jumps that can be made from the bottom to the top."
