Mike Krack, the team boss of Aston Martin, has candidly discussed the team’s tumultuous journey through the 2023 season. He remains positive that their challenges, particularly during a mid-season downturn, have prepared them well for stronger results in the coming year.
Despite a seventh-place finish in the 2022 constructors’ standings, Aston Martin emerged as a formidable contender early in 2023, closely tailing Red Bull. This unexpected surge was partly due to Fernando Alonso and his impressive performances, securing podium finishes in six of the first eight races.
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However, as the season progressed, Aston Martin found itself outpaced by Mercedes and Ferrari and later overtaken by McLaren and their mid-season advancements. This resulted in the Silverstone-based team sliding down to fifth in the rankings.
Towards the end of the year, however, Aston Martin demonstrated a notable upswing. Alonso achieved a podium finish in Sao Paulo, and both he and his teammate Lance Stroll consistently scored points in the final races of the 2023 season.
In a detailed interview on the Aston Martin F1 website, Krack delved into the past season’s experiences, their coping strategies, and the anticipated impact on the development of the AMR24, set to be unveiled on February 12, 2024.
“For me, that period was challenging because there’s a need to understand what’s happening,” said Krack. “You have to zoom out and look at the bigger picture. Are others improving massively? Are we not progressing enough?
“You have to be honest in your assessments, ask yourself tough questions, form an understanding and then make sure everybody in the team also understands the situation, sticks together, and works through it.
“I said a few times, the goal for the rest of the season was to understand the car and reverse the trend. I thought if we could get back on the podium in the second half of the year, that would be a fantastic achievement. We did that twice – but everyone still wants more!”
As for the insights gained about their 2023 car, Krack elaborated: “We did understand the car by the end of the season – but it would be wrong to say we understood absolutely everything about the AMR23.
“We understood a great deal, we know what we want to do for 2024 and the direction we need to go in with next year’s car – but that doesn’t necessarily mean we’re going to turn up at the season-opener in Bahrain next year and be fighting for the race win.”
Although hopeful, Krack is aware of the substantial hurdle Aston Martin must overcome to advance beyond their fifth-place standing and move towards the forefront of the F1 grid, as the team eagerly anticipates the upcoming pre-season testing and the inaugural race.
“We’re up against formidable competitors, and the big question mark over the winter is always what kind of job other teams have done,” he said. “There’s a lot of nail-biting. You’re always asking yourself: ‘Have we done enough?’
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“Whatever happens, it always results in the same loop: if the cars roll out and we haven’t done enough, then we have to work hard to improve. If we have done enough, then we have to work hard to improve further. That’s the only recipe that works in Formula 1.”
Source: Formula1.com
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