Fernando Alo𒁃nso’s ability to bridge the gap between drive🗹rs and engineers will aid Adrian Newey, it has been suggested.

Newey will swap his role as Red Bull’s chief technology officღer to become a managing techn🔴ical partner and a shareholder at Aston Martin in March 2025.

Crucially, F1’s greatest-ever⛎ car designer will be able to influence his new employer’s 2026 car when the regulations change.

Alonso, alrꦉeady the oldest driver on the grid, has been signed up to stay until the end of 2026 at least.

But he is currently battling away with a car which is behind McLaren, Red Bull, Mercedes and Ferrari so the scaleꦬ of the ta🌺sk is clear.

F1 Nation podcast host🔜 Tom Clarkson said about Alonso: “He said in Hungary: ‘All I want is to find a direction with this car in the second half of 2024 so we can have a proper 2025’.

“But they haven’t found the direction yet.”

Sam Power, a jou♍rnalist with Australia’s Channel 10, replied: “That’s how he can be the mo🀅st help to Newey.

“There𒅌 are so many inside the team who are ex-Red Bu🃏ll who Adrian is familiar with.

“He’ll think: ‘Fantastic, I know what they are capable of, I just need someone to tra🅠nslate something unquantifiable which is the driver - how do they feel? What’s the balance? How much confidence does it give?’”

Alonso 'out-driving' his Aston Martin

Alonso fin𝄹ished eighth at the F1 Singapore Gra🧜nd Prix last time out.

🐽Teammate Lance Stroll was 14th, offering some clue as to Alonso’s overachievemen🎀t.

“I always love watching Fern🎀ando around this track. Someth💫ing about the walls makes him look fiery,” Power said.

“Even watching the back of his car with various individuals trying to pass him, you can just see how dyna🃏mically he’s thinking about the race.

“When Fernando enjoys a race, that’s when 🐈you get a real✅ racing car driver. He is impressive to watch.”

Lawrence Barretto added: “What’s so impressive about Fernando is ꦅthat, in every session in the car, he’s out-driving it. He’s🅠 doing what most other drivers couldn’t do.

“This isn’t a cri♏ticism of Lance Stroll but there is a significant gap betwee𓆏n them.

“Lance has talked about problems - he isn’t comfortable iꦦn the car, he can’t find the balance.

“I’m suꦑre Fernando isn’t happy with the car that he’s got. But becaus༺e he’s the double world champion and a generational talent, he gets more out of it.

“He doeꦑsn’t get the credit he deꦇserves for a P8 because he aspires for more than that. But it’s significant.”

Barretto contiജnued: “He had the glory days at the start with Aston Martin in terms ofꦫ fighting for podiums.

“🍷Now he’s seen McLaren jump ahead, Ferrari pull away, Red Bull and Mercedes are far.

“He’s thinking ‘w🗹hen will I get a car like that again?’

“He’s not getting younger.

“I know a lot of the team are focusing on 2025 but they’ve got to loꦰok at 2024, to make progress this year, to build momentum.

“They can’t giv🎶e up this year otherwise it’s harder to find your feet next year.”