Despite Aston Martin’s less successful start to its 2024 season compared to last year, team principal Mike Krack insists the team is “where we expected to be” in terms of outright performance.
While the stat sheet paints a clear picture – five podiums in the first six races of 2023 compared to none so far this season – Krack offers a different perspective.
He argues that Aston Martin has actually made strides in terms of raw car performance, inching closer to the front-running teams.
However, the competitive landscape of F1 is a dynamic one. While Aston Martin has improved, their rivals haven't stood still. Other teams have also made significant progress, making it a tougher fight for podium finishes and points.
“It has been a busy first few months of the season” said Krack, speaking in his team’s Emilia Romagna Grand Prix preview.
“Performance wise, we are where we expected to be. We've closed the gap to the front but it's ultra-competitive and the pack is very tight.
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“Coming into this year, we expected to be fifth fastest and that's where we've often been in race trim.
"In Qualifying, we've often been third fastest which has been positive, and we're working hard on developing the car to make sure we can capitalise on our strong performance over one lap.”
In terms of execution, Aston’s crews have also performed in line with expectations and suffered no setbacks.
“Operationally, we've been very strong. Our pitstops have consistently been among the fastest and we have not lost a minute of track time because of any operational glitches,” Krack noted.
“As a team, we've executed well throughout the campaign and that is down to the hard work and dedication of everyone both at the Campus and the track."
©AstonMartin
The start of the European F1 season typically sees teams ramp up their upgrades, and Aston Martin is no exception although changes on the team’s AMR24 at Imola next weekend won’t be significant.
"We're bringing an update to Imola as part of our continuous programme of in-season development,” Krack explained.
“This should address several areas for improvement that we've identified, but it's all relative – nobody stands still in F1 – and our competitors will be bringing new parts too.
"All we can do is focus on ourselves and continue to close the gap to the front. Everyone in the team is pushing hard, and the update this weekend is just another example of the tireless effort and dedication from everyone."
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