Aston Martin hires Mike Krack as F1 team principal

©BMW

The Aston Martin F1 team has appointed former BMW motorsport boss Mike Krack as its new team principal.

Krack, a motorsport veteran who led BMW's programs in Formula E, GT and IMSA and who previously worked in Formula 1 with Sauber, will take over the team management responsibilities previously held by Otmar Szafnauer.

"Winning in Formula One is all about bringing together the best efforts of all the principal players - drivers, engineers, mechanics, everyone - and Mike is perfectly placed to do just that," said Aston Martin F1 chairman Lawrence Stroll.

"We are hiring brilliant new people every week. Our new factory build is coming along very well. We have a fantastic roster of superb sponsor-partners.

"We are about to embark on year two of our five-year plan, the objective of which is to win Formula One World Championships.

"All the ingredients we require are coming together. Mike will play a central and leading role, reporting to Martin Whitmarsh and leading our technical and operational functions, our collective aim being to fulfil those lofty ambitions. We are on our way."

Krack's track record in motorsport, in addition to his tenure in F1 with BMW-Sauber as chief engineer and to his achievements with BMW Motorsport, includes a two-year stint with Porsche's LMP1 squad in the WEC where he worked alongside current McLaren F1 team boss Andreas Seidl.

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"Aston Martin is one of the greatest automotive brands in the world, and to have been asked to play a leading role in delivering the on-track Formula One success that such an illustrious name so richly deserves is a challenge that I plan to embrace with energy and enthusiasm," commented Krack.

"I have been working in motorsport for over 20 years, and worked in Formula One with Seb Vettel in 2006 and 2007 when I was a BMW-Sauber engineer and he was the team’s test driver.

"I have huge respect for his speed and ability, and it will be fantastic to be reunited with him. Lance Stroll is a seriously fast and talented driver, too, with 100 Grands Prix starts to his name, and I am very much looking forward to working closely with him.

"Team Silverstone has always impressed me. It is full of talented people and real racers.

"That racer’s culture and values are what is required to succeed in motorsport - I know that and my new colleagues at Aston Martin know it, too. We will work incredibly hard. We want to win. Together, we will."

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.