(Motorsport) Aston Martin have become the first team in the Formula 1 grid to announce the launch date of their new car for the 2023 season. The British manufacturer have revealed that the AMR23 will be unveiled on Monday, 13th February 2023 at the Silverstone campus ahead of pre-season testing which will begin in Bahrain on Thursday, February 23. Having finished a disappointing seventh in the 2022 season, Aston Martin will be hoping for an improved performance this time around with Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll in the team.

Unlike the 2022 season, the 2023 season does not feature big rule changes but there are subtle changes that teams and drivers can take advantage of. The 2023 cars will ride at a higher height which will not only help in combating porpoising but also to improve performance. Team owner Lawrence Stroll has made significant investment, spending £200 million on their Silverstone headquarters as they continue to work towards becoming Championship contenders. They have recently signed a new Technical Director Dan Fallows, who was poached from Red Bull as the team look to move on from Sebastian Vettel’s retirement.

Fernando Alonso has high expectations for Aston Martin in the 2023 season after racking up 97 laps in the 2022 car at the post-season test in Abu Dhabi in November. Speaking about his experience, he said “It was good! It was a very nice experience. I feel honoured to drive for such an iconic brand. It was a very special day, having the first go in the car and trying to feel also the differences [between Alpine and Aston Martin]. Obviously, we raced two days ago here, so it’s very fresh and it’s very useful. I tried to meet all the mechanics, the engineers, and [I will] try to remember a lot of new names, for sure!”

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