Formula 1 World Championship 2025, Round 7, Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari, Imola, Italy, Saturday 17 May 2025 - Fernando Alonso (ESP) Aston Martin F1 Team AMR25.

Aston Martin elated as 'understood' upgrade delivers right away at Imola

21:55, 17 May

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byNorberto Mujica

For the first time this season Aston Martin has qualified in the top 10 for a Grand Prix, and team principal and CEO Andy Cowell, believes this success is down to the team's efforts to haul itself back to the front.

And it wasn't just a top ten result, but a top five with Fernando Alonso putting his Aston Martin ahead of the Williams of Carlos Sainz and Alexander Albon. For his teammate Lance Stroll it was P8 as the timer clocked down the session.

"The whole factory's work to create an update which gives us a small advantage, but then the team of engineers that have come up with the setup working with the drivers, and just putting a good plan together throughout this weekend to understand the update, understand this track and understand what are the best tyres to use," said Cowell to F1TV listing the reasons that he blieves explain Aston Martin's Imola success.

Aston Martin were 'pioneers' in their bid to use the medium tyre for qualifying. The C6 is thought to be too soft to be used even in qualifying as it degrades too quickly. Why didn't more teams replicate the British racing green coloured team's strategy?

Aston Martin not hindered for the race by daring qualifying strategy

"I think every car uses their tyres differently and what we've got here is that maybe our car likes the mediums better than other teams. But it's a team effort, there are hundreds of engineers looking at the best way to set our car up and to develop our car, but it's great to see this progress."

Formula 1 World Championship 2025, Round 7, Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari, Imola, Italy, Saturday 17 May 2025 - Andy Cowell (GBR) Aston Martin F1 Team Group CEO and Team Principal.

Nevertheless, having used the mediums for qualifying, isn't there a concern that they are in the backfoot for the race?

"I think we'll be okay. It's one of those circuits where it's hard to overtake, so it's important to qualify well. But we'll see how it goes tomorrow. We've got a plan for the race and let's hope it plays out well."

Huge boost in morale for Aston Martin, Cowell notes

In the end, it's a good result that comes when the team needed it most after a very tough start of the season where Alonso has failed to score a single point in the first six races. The team is currently in P7 after scoring 14 points, but all of them from serendipitous events that unexpectedly changed the race order. A result of great reaction to changing conditions, but not necessarily represntative of the team's prior pace.

"It's a huge boost [the Imola qualifying result], the joy that's being felt here in the paddock's also felt in the factory and the update and all the support work that comes from the factory, making the parts, engineering the parts, the aerodynamicists, it's a big team effort."

"Congratulations to all of them and thank you to them for all the hard work they're putting in."