Mike Krack admits to considering Vettel as a replacement for Stroll

Before the first race of the season in Bahrain, Aston Martin’s situation was delicate. Lance Stroll was uncertain after being involved in a cycling accident, with serious wrist injuries. As a result, Felipe Drugovich replaced the Canadian driver during the winter testing.

Finally, Stroll took the start despite difficulties in turning the wheel with his left wrist. But Mike Krack admits to having thought 100% about a return of Sebastian Vettel behind the wheel. When asked in the podcast “F1 Nation”, Mike Krack did not approach the German out of respect for his retirement announcement. “We have a lot of respect for Sebastian and the decision he made at the time. I think it wouldn’t have been right, even for us. We wanted to respect his way of being, what he had decided, and we didn’t want to put him in a difficult position”, says the Aston Martin boss.

A Sebastian Vettel gentleman

When asked about his relationship since with the German, the Luxembourger emphasized the former driver’s gentleman behavior: « Sebastian was Sebastian. He congratulated us very gentlemanly for our first podium in Bahrain,” he explains.

« I have always told him, ‘you know, it’s also your merit’ because he really made us progress compared to the previous two years. » Mike Krack also emphasizes the importance Vettel had in the team’s current situation: « He made us grow in many areas where we learned a lot and made great progress. So he certainly played a role in the current situation. » The technician applauds the respect he had with the team: « He wasn’t in a state of regret or anything because he was very aware of his decision when he made it, and I think the respect between him and the team or the respect between him and me is really evident in those moments where he congratulates us, says Mike Krack.

Keep your feet on the ground in the team

Mike Krack was also questioned about the current form of the team. After two races, Aston Martin has two podium finishes with Fernando Alonso and currently establishes itself as the second strongest force on the 2023 grid, behind Red Bull.

But the technician prefers to put things into perspective and stay grounded: « The main thing is to stay focused, it’s not automatic, you always have to be at the top of your game. And as soon as you’re not, someone else is ahead of you, so it’s a whole package and you have to manage all of it », the Luxembourger tempers before adding that « this Silverstone team has been in the business for a very, very long time, and people know what auto racing is all about. So I’m not afraid that they will lose their footing, but we have to manage the situation ».