Aston Martin Performance Director, Tom McCullough, has spoken out about Fernando Alonso’s expectations for the upcoming season. Alonso, a two-time world champion, left Alpine to join Aston Martin, a team that finished seventh in the championship. McCullough started off by acknowledging that Alonso would not be content fighting in the midfield, stating, “He’s not going to be happy fighting in the midfield. He wants to be part of the step we’re wanting to take, which is to start challenging the top three teams.”
However, McCullough was also realistic about the team’s chances of fighting for the championship anytime soon. “I think fighting for World Championships [in 2023] – let’s be realistic – isn’t going to happen,” he said. “We’re on a journey. We’re growing as a team. We’re getting stronger as a team.”
Despite this, McCullough remained optimistic about the team’s chances, stating that he believed Alonso was realistic and would contribute significantly to the team’s growth. “If we can fight the top three teams next year, I’m sure we’ll be happy with that,” he said.
McCullough also laid out the team’s plans for the future, saying, “From there, [we’ll] just carry on the journey we’re on to try to catch the guys up at the front who are doing the best job at the moment.”
It remains to be seen how Aston Martin and Alonso will fare in the upcoming season, but McCullough’s comments suggest that the team is focused on steady growth rather than immediate success.
