Formula 1’s final week of pre-season testing wrapped up under the lights in Bahrain on Friday, leaving intrigue swirling through the paddock. From bold confidence to cautious concern, teams and drivers offered their revealing verdicts on their winter work - setting the stage for a fiercely anticipated season opener next month in Melbourne.
Aston Martin – 128 laps
Mike Krack, Chief Trackside Officer
“We have concluded our test programme in Bahrain, and the main challenge has been dealing with some reliability issues that have limited our time on track. This leaves us on the backfoot going into the start of the season, because we haven’t been able to complete all of the usual tasks typical of winter testing. We recognise there is a huge amount of work ahead, and everyone involved in this project knows where we need to focus to improve our situation. I want to say a big thank you to all my colleagues across the team who have been working day and night over the last two weeks.”
Lance Stroll
“It’s been a challenging couple of weeks here in Bahrain, and today’s limited running wasn’t the way we wanted to finish the second test. It’s clear the car isn’t where we want it to be performance-wise, and we know there’s a lot of work ahead in the coming weeks and months. There’s a long season ahead, and we’ll keep pushing flat out to unlock more performance.
I want to say a big thank you to everyone trackside and back at the AMRTC for the work that’s gone in so far. It’s not where we want to be right now, but I know how determined this team is. We’ll stick together, rise to the challenge and keep working until we deliver the performance we are looking for.”
