Aston Martin had a strong start to the 2023 Formula One Season, achieving three podium finishes in its first three races. The Azerbaijan Grand Prix was not without its challenges. Their Drag Reduction System (DRS), which did not open, caused a slower speed on straights. The team now has a permanent fix for the DRS problem that affected them in Baku.
Aston Martin had to use grease as a temporary fix to open the wing during the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. Mike Krack, the team boss, confirmed that the fault was fully analysed and resolved. He said, “I believe we’ve fixed the problem.” We would have preferred to have resolved it earlier or prevented it from arising in the first instance. It’s not a big deal.
The team was unable to address the DRS issue due to parc-ferme regulations. According to the rules, modifications are not allowed once cars enter parc-ferme. Instead, they found a quick fix, smearing grease on the rear wing plates to help the flap move. The car is at Parc Ferme, and there’s nothing you can do. Aston Martin team principal said, “We cleaned the surfaces and checked the gap sizes. Everything.”
Aston Martin’s ‘Green Bull’ appears to have taken on Red Bull’s problems along with its pace.
Aston Martin’s car has been nicknamed “The Green Bull”, due to its similarities with Red Bull’s previous challenger. Many have noted that the Green Bull is a much faster car than the Austrian team. The DRS problem with Aston Martin, which was one of Red Bull’s biggest problems last year, appears to have been carried over to this new team.
Aston Martin had been the second fastest team in the world before the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. Ferrari was the team to beat during the Azerbaijan GP. They finished nearly a second slower than poleman Charles Leclerc, and Fernando Alonso, and Lance Stroll, took fourth and seventh places in the Sunday main race. Krack says that while many blamed the team’s struggles on their DRS not working, it wasn’t just that. Krack stated that the DRS was a minor distraction, not a major disadvantage, because it worked in the backstretch.
Krack confirmed he was not an aerodynamicist, and that he would have to wait until the complete analysis to draw any conclusions about how the DRS problem arose. Krack expressed the hope that the DRS issue had been resolved and that the team’s performance would be better in Miami.
