In the hands of Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin has been the surprise package of the 2023 F1 season, with Alonso sitting third in the standings behind Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez.
The two-time world champion also kept Aston Martin one point ahead of Mercedes in the constructors' championship with five podiums in sixth races.
Last weekend, only a stunning final sector allowed Verstappen to keep Alonso from pole. In a mixed-weather race, the Spaniard looked to retain an outside chance to beat Verstappen until a wrong tyre call cemented Verstappen's advantage, keeping Red Bull's clean sweep of 2023 race wins intact.
According to Red Bull advisor Marko, Aston Martin's impeding reduction in CFD and wind tunnel time could impact its ability to keep up the pressure in the second half of the season.
"If Aston Martin stay second in the championship there will be a reset of the amount of wind tunnel time around the middle of the championship," Marko told Autosport.
"Then they will be massively reduced in the wind tunnel time and the cost cap is another factor, so that might have an impact as well."
What Marko is referring to is the Aerodynamic Testing Restriction handicap system, which allows a certain amount of CFD and wind tunnel use depending on the previous year's construction standings.
Source: Autosport