F1 News, Reports and Race Results

Krack: No 'debate' over Stroll's future at Aston Martin

Aston Martin team boss Mike Krack says there is currently "no debate" at the Silverstone-based outfit regarding the future of Lance Stroll.

Rumors recently arose that Stroll is considering his F1 future amid a difficult season that is seeing the Canadian performing well behind his Aston teammate Fernando Alonso.

Last weekend at Zandvoort, Stroll laughed off wild suggestions that he could leave the sport for a career in professional tennis. He also insisted that his heart and mind are still very much entrenched in F1.

However, it has been reported that Aston Martin Performance Technologies Group CEO Martin Whitmarsh has been making discrete inquiries about the availability and commitments of several high-profile drivers in F1.

But at Monza on Thursday, ahead of this weekend's Italian Grand Prix, Krack insisted that Aston will proceed in 2024 with its current line-up of drivers.

"It's Monza, it's driver silly season and it's a bit boring at the moment," said Krack. "I think we don't have any such debate at the moment. We will be fine next year with the two drivers."

©AstonMartin

Pressed on whether Stroll has given any indication that he may be considering leaving his father's team and exiting F1, Krack was adamant that the 24-year-old had not.

"I think we have seen over the last week a very hard-working driver, trying to analyse every little detail where he can improve, being in the simulator, driving a lot, so I think there's nothing that goes in that direction," he assured.

Krack also pushed back on the idea that Stroll is struggling for performance relative to Alonso, suggesting that the Canadian's 121 points deficit to his teammate in the championship only tells a partial story.

"No, there is not a marked gap in performance – there is a marked gap in points. It’s important to separate between the two," he explained.

"We, as a team, are analysing the season from both perspectives, from both drivers, and I think we as a team need to do a much, much better job on that side of the garage come race strategy but also we had reliability issues and it was always hitting that car, so that is something we need to do much, much better.

"I think, in general, between drivers there is always there is a certain gap that you would say is, I would say not normal, but circumstantial.

"Sometimes you have a bit of traffic, sometimes one has a glitch in one corner, but I think the drivers are normally within three tenths.

"I think when you look at the last qualifying sessions – Q1 in Zandvoort, for example – there was nothing in between them, so I don’t think that there is any particular characteristic [of the car] that will be different for him than for Fernando."

©AstonMartin

Krack reckons that Stroll can perform as close to Alonso as he did to fellow multiple world champion Sebastian Vettel last season.

“I think he can be just the same;" he added. "You saw it last year – we had all this discussion when Sebastian joined the team and I think it went pretty well. There is no reason why it should not be the same.

"That was the same before [when] we had a four-time World Champion, so we don’t look at it like you do in terms of who has won how many Championships.

"We brought driver of that class to take steps as a team and I think we all learn from having Fernando – and the same goes for Lance.

"So, from that point of view, it’s all normal and we need to also learn from that experience and that is something that we do on the driver side and on the team side."

Keep up to date with all the F1 news via Facebook and Twitter

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.

Recent Posts

Komatsu: F1 teams united against Audi 2026 cost-cap offset

Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu has revealed that nine Formula 1 teams stand in opposition…

51 mins ago

Las Vegas GP: Hamilton leads Mercedes 1-2 in trouble-free FP1

Lewis Hamilton and George Russell led the field in a chilly but trouble-free first practice…

2 hours ago

2024 Las Vegas Grand Prix Free Practice 1 - Results

Full results from Free Practice 1 for the Las Vegas Grand Prix in the United…

2 hours ago

Aston Martin says performance shortfall led to Fallows exit

Aston Martin performance director Tom McCullough has shed some light on why the team’s former…

11 hours ago

FIA clamps down on plank loophole after Red Bull complaint

The FIA has issued a pivotal Technical Directive to F1 teams ahead of this weekend’s…

13 hours ago

F1 drivers blindsided by race director Wittich’s sudden exit

The abrupt removal last week of FIA race director Niels Wittich with just three races…

14 hours ago