Mike Krack thanks his drivers for not criticizing the car
Aston Martin's team principal reflects on the British team's difficult season. According to him, the highlight of the year was not on the track, but behind the scenes, with his two drivers who preferred to refrain from criticizing the car.
Expectations that were not met. After a successful 2023 campaign, where the single-seater was a regular contender for podiums (eight throughout the season thanks to Fernando Alonso), the team based in Silverstone gradually moved away from this position, to the point of being today a mid-field team. By the end of the 2024 season, points seemed increasingly difficult to achieve, with the team being threatened by Haas, Alpine, and Racing Bulls.
A season much less successful than in 2023
While the team scored 280 points in 2023, its tally stopped at 94 this year, with the best result being Fernando Alonso’s fifth place in Saudi Arabia. Although the team still finished in fifth place in the Constructors’ Championship, it ended up 374 points behind Mercedes, who were fourth in the standings.
When it came to discussing the highlights of the season, Mike Krack, the team principal, chose to commend the behavior of his drivers rather than talk about the difficulties of the car this season.
Pilots supporting their team
« The highlight for me is the drivers and the way they handled it, how they stayed united with the team », the Luxembourger explained to Autosport. « It would have been so easy for them to speak out in the media and take us down, because for them, it’s the hardest. Week after week, they drive the car and cannot change it. They have to drive it and face the microphones pointed at them. And they have always remained loyal to the team. For me, that is truly a strong moment. »
However, there have been numerous occasions to criticize the team. If the team could once be content with not being able to fight with the four leading teams but finishing fifth, it has since lost that status. At the end of the season, the car was sometimes unable to score points, as in Brazil with a retirement for Lance Stroll and a 14th place for Fernando Alonso after suffering from back pain throughout the event. Despite all these issues, the drivers preferred to play the card of optimism rather than pessimism.
A better future to build for Aston Martin
« It is incredible to see how far the team has come since the Racing Point days and I am definitely here for the future, Lance Stroll had notably declared last June. In 2025, the Canadian will begin his seventh season with the British team. On his side, the Spanish double world champion was realistic about Aston Martin’s situation. « In Formula 1, there aren’t many miracles – you have to be patient. »
If the problems are not going to be resolved immediately, the human and architectural investments made by Lawrence Stroll’s team, including notably the arrival of Adrian Newey, will give it a new dimension.
While 2025 should not be too different from 2024, the new regulations of 2026 will reshuffle all the cards, allowing several teams, including Aston Martin, to stand out.
