This season, Aston Martin has been on a downward trajectory, and the team carried this trend through the triple-header that took place after the autumn break. In Brazil, the team led by Lawrence Stroll gained little, with performance issues dominating the weekend and incidents on Sunday. The disappointing outcome, marked by a lack of performance, has led team principal Mike Krack to take responsibility. After the Sao Paulo weekend, a disheartened Fernando Alonso stated that he only brought his car to the finish line to honor the work of the mechanics who had repaired the car in time for the race after his qualifying accident.
Fernando Alonso: “I Finished the Race to Recognize the Mechanics’ Work”
“It was a difficult day,” said the Spanish driver after finishing the Brazilian GP in 14th place. It was a bitter outcome, following a similarly tough qualifying session, where he was involved in a wet Q3 accident. “We had to change some parts after the crash in qualifying, which meant the car would be a bit slower,” said Fernando Alonso. “We also had a brake issue after the restart. The car was really bouncing a lot in the second half of the race.” This last problem, which he mentioned over the radio during the race, caused severe back pain from the bouncing, making it challenging for him to stay in the car. “Under other circumstances, I would have retired, but the mechanics did an incredible job to fix the car in time after the crash. I finished the race for them.” Alonso further noted that, in his view, there should be a minimum time between qualifying and the race to avoid last-minute repairs or, in the worst cases, the risk of missing the race. “Guys like Alex Albon didn’t have enough time to repair their cars. So maybe there should be a minimum time between the end of qualifying and the race. Fans come to the track to see 20 drivers.”
Mike Krack: “We Gave Our Drivers a Car They Don’t Deserve”
While Fernando Alonso managed to make it to the checkered flag, Lance Stroll couldn’t even reach the starting lights. During the formation lap, the Canadian lost control of the car, spinning out. After recovering, he attempted, inexplicably, to rejoin the track by taking the gravel escape route, where he became stuck. “It was really strange,” he commented. “It felt like a brake failure, because as soon as I touched the brake, the rear axle locked, and I was a passenger. I got stuck in the gravel, and my race was over. It’s a shame because in a wet race, anything is possible, but we didn’t seize those opportunities.”
Aston Martin, besides counting the damages, now faces the reality of a triple-header in which it failed to score a single point. While the focus is primarily on the future, the team’s prospects don’t align with what’s happening on the track. “Given our current form,” said team principal Mike Krack, “we have to take responsibility for not providing Lance and Fernando with the car they deserve. They’ve been very patient, but we’re currently asking too much of them.”
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