Alpine have announced that they are bringing aerodynamic upgrades to the 2021 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, which takes place from 16-18 April.
Having failed to score points in the season-opener in Bahrain at end of March, Executive Director – Marcin Budkowski has announced that the team will introduce an aerodynamic upgrade package at Imola.
This comes after a tough season opener in Bahrain, with Budkowski adding; “The Bahrain race weekend confirmed some of the weaknesses of our package, which we’re working hard to improve and gain the few tenths of a second that we are currently missing to fight at the front of the midfield.”
Budkowski has also confirmed that there will be some test items featuring on the car during Friday Practice, in order to “define” future upgrades which are set to be introduced across the next few races.
Reflecting on what fans can expect from the team this weekend at Imola, Budkowski said; “It’s a fast circuit with high power sensitivity and quick changes of direction, so the driver needs to have confidence in the car to attack the fast and flowing corner combinations.”
Budkowski also spoke of how this race will help the team moving forward after only visiting Bahrain for both pre-season testing and the first race of this season, with the hope that Imola “… will also generate new data to help our development effort.”
Esteban Ocon and Fernando Alonso Hope For Points
Esteban Ocon endured a difficult Bahrain Grand Prix after tangling with Sebastian Vettel mid-race, but the French driver believes that the team can take “positives” into Imola with the aim of better results.
Having retired from the Emilia Romagna GP last November with a clutch issue, Ocon also is keen to deliver a stronger result on what he described as a “classic racetrack” that feels “historic and old school with its deep racing roots.”
Fernando Alonso meanwhile has previously raced at Imola under the old ‘San Marino Grand Prix’ banner where he won with this team under their then Renault name.
This coming weekend therefore represents a chance for Alonso to experience the track in the current car, with the Spaniard commenting that changes to the track since he last raced there in 2006 has “improved the racing.”
Alonso however is focused on securing his and Alpine’s first points of this season at Imola and learning more about the car, saying; “We’re still learning lots about the car and I’m expecting that the setup here and, of course, the weather will be very different to what we experienced in Bahrain.”
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