Both cars finish in the points as Lance and Fernando give their all at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. Hear from our drivers plus Team Principal Mike Krack after the 2023 Spanish Grand Prix.
Two cars into the points on a challenging but fruitful afternoon at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya where Lance came home ahead of team-mate Fernando.
Friday and Saturday were busy days for the team under changeable conditions, with red flags punctuating the action. Sunday was a caution-free race under grey skies while our fans added the colour and noise, unfurling two huge AMF1 Team flags at Turn Nine before the race began.
From fifth on the grid, Lance started on a used set of Softs and enjoyed a stunning start to the Grand Prix. He kept up a solid pace, pitting twice, and finishing sixth for his best result since Australia.
Fernando also completed a two-stop strategy but went longer on the used Softs. Like Lance, he closed out the race on new Hard compound. He took P7 at home as Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant Formula One® Team left Spain with another healthy points haul.
Scroll down to read the post-race comments from Lance, Fernando and AMF1 Team Principal Mike Krack after Sunday's Spanish Grand Prix.
Sunday
The Grand Prix
"It was a fun battle with Lewis [Hamilton] on the first lap; I've pulled that move off before so I knew there was a gap and figured Lewis would leave me a bit of space, which he did. That put me in a good position going into Turn Five and I could hold the place." Lance made a blistering start to the Grand Prix from P5 on the grid, picking off two cars soon after the lights went out.
"We didn’t have as much pace today on both the Soft and Hard compounds, so it was a tricky race for us. We tried to go longer on our strategy and hoped it would pay off later with fresher tyres, but our rivals had a little more pace." Fernando explains why he went longer than his rivals on the used Soft tyres in the early stage of the race.
"It was good to have both Aston Martins finish well this afternoon and we come away from Barcelona with 14 points. Lance and Fernando pushed hard all afternoon, made some important overtakes, and showed great teamwork." Our Team Principal Mike Krack had high praise for both drivers after Sunday's performance.
"Then, from about five laps in, we really struggled with the pace. My tyre degradation was higher than expected but the cars around us didn’t seem to have the same issue, so it's something we’ll look to understand for the coming races." Lance said tyre wear proved an issue in Spain and he lost those hard-fought places at the start, but stayed firmly in the mix throughout.
"We should not be disappointed with this result – even though we did not quite have the pace to fight for the podium today. It was in the first stint on the Softs that we did not quite have the performance to catch the cars ahead and in the second and third stints we managed our pace and had a comfortable advantage over the teams behind us." Mike adds that, while the result wasn't the podium the Team was hoping for, Lance and Fernando still delivered despite some difficulties.
"We bring home some good points finishing sixth and seventh, but I think we'd been hoping for slightly more today. I’m looking forward to heading to Canada, my home race, in a few days' time." Perhaps it wasn't what he wanted, but Lance held off a number of rivals and finished sixth. He heads to his home race at Montréal with a strong foundation to build upon.
"I think sixth and seventh positions were the maximum for us. I thought our performance seemed better in qualifying, so I think we need to look at why and aim to bounce back for Canada." Fernando points out that Sunday was a more difficult day than anticipated, and there's work to do as AMF1 Team head to Canada.
"We still scored some solid points and we had no risk at the end of the race. I want to thank the fans for their passion, energy and support this weekend. It was very emotional and special for me." Spain was still a special weekend for our home driver thanks to the fans, who turned out to support us and turned up the atmosphere. With P7, Fernando ensured a seventh-straight points score.
"Before we leave Spain, I want to say a big thank you to the passionate fans: their energy has been very motivating throughout this race week, and we have really enjoyed racing here." It's clear that our fans left a lasting impact on the team in Spain; it's only appropriate that Mike's last word goes out to you.
Saturday
#18 Lance Stroll | Free Practice & Qualifying
#14 Fernando Alonso | Free Practice & Qualifying
"We had a solid qualifying session today and found a strong rhythm on track. The car was feeling good – a big improvement from yesterday – so I'm pleased with the set-up changes that we made overnight." After a series of difficult practice sessions for Lance, his and the team's hard work ahead of qualifying yielded results on the track, with Lance progressing all the way to Q3.
"I made a mistake on my out lap in Q1 and ran wide at the exit of the last corner which damaged the floor. This cost us some crucial lap time today. It's a shame, as I think we had the pace to be fighting at the front. We'll see what we can do tomorrow, as I felt like the car was still competitive even with the damage." Fernando fought through to Q3 despite picking up floor damage early in qualifying.
"If we can put it all together, I'm still optimistic we could score some good points tomorrow. The fans have been amazing, so we'll be trying to put on a show for them in the race." The fans have come out in force for AMF1 Team, and Fernando wants to reward their passion.
"It was quite a challenging qualifying session with a slightly damp and green track making Q1 especially difficult for all the teams. Fernando got caught out on a wet patch in the final corner during his out lap, he ran wide, and picked up significant floor damage by going through the gravel trap." Mike explains the issue that hampered Fernando in qualifying.
"With a big loss of downforce, it was a remarkable achievement to see him progress through to Q3. Lance had a clean session, kept his head down, and recovered well from a difficult day of practice yesterday." High praise for both of our drivers from Mike after they overcame hurdles to make it into the top 10.
"The field was incredibly tight though and there are a few cars that are out of position across the grid which will make for an interesting race. I think tomorrow is a big opportunity, so we'll be working through the data and strategy plans tonight to ensure we're ready to make the most of it." A mixed-up grid and fine margins mean Sunday's race promises to be a captivating contest, with Lance and the team eager to capitalise on every opportunity.
"We should not be disappointed with getting both cars into Q3 – something that a few of our direct competitors failed to do. For tomorrow, we know we have a quick car in race trim so we will be aiming to progress and come away from Spain with both cars scoring good points." Mike reflects on the team's qualifying result and sets out the objective for Sunday in simple terms.
Friday
Free Practice
"It's so close over one lap that I think a couple of tenths will put you in a completely different position in the classification, so we won't read too much into the times." Fernando finished second in Free Pracice Two but says there's potential for things to change on Saturday given how close everyone is all across the grid.
"The focus of today has been running various new test items and evaluating the new Pirelli construction prototype tyres, so that made for a couple of busy sessions on track." Lance explains that he spent Friday getting to grips with our new upgrades, instead of going for outright lap time. Pirelli also set aside Friday to test their new specification of C1 slick tyres that will come into use from the British Grand Prix onwards.
"The upgrades we've introduced are helping the performance of the car and we are happy with them so far, but let’s see where we are tomorrow when everyone is pushing. A lot of the grandstands are green and our Aston Martin merchandise is very popular. The fans have been amazing and it's great to see their support. Hopefully we can put on a good show for them tomorrow."It's been an electric build-up to the 2023 Spanish Grand Prix and Fernando looks to feel the energy from our passionate fans.
"That's given us a lot of data to work through tonight and hopefully we can find some more lap time ahead of qualifying as the car wasn't quite where I wanted it. The field was incredibly tight in both sessions, so we know how important it is to find that pace and we'll be working hard to do so." Lance says there is more to come. The hard work will continue on both sides of the garage ahead of FP3 on Saturday morning.
Related content
Mike on... the Spanish Grand Prix
Read Now
#IAMSTORIES | VOICES: Why this year's Spanish GP is so special – by the fans
Read Now
Turning Spain green: Putting the focus on fans at Fernando's home Grand Prix
Read Now
Moving day – a proud milestone on our journey
Read Now
Around the world in 23 races: Barcelona
Read Now
SentinelOne Power Play | Driver Challenge
Read Now
Cognizant Driver Masterclass
Read Now
AMF1 Team to enter works partnership with Honda from 2026
Read Now
AvaTrade explains the F1 rulebook: Race length
Read Now
AMF1 Team enlists the expertise of Stilo as Official Supplier
Read NowI / AM membership
The ultimate fan experience.
Get closer to the team with unparalleled access, behind-the-scenes insights and once-in-a-lifetime experiences, and enjoy exclusive competitions, rewards, offers and more.
