As Aston Martin's 2024 Formula 1 campaign nears its end, team principal Mike Krack offers a candid assessment of a season that fell short of expectations.
Despite matching last year's position in the Constructors' Championship, Aston Martin hasn't secured the podium finishes and glory that punctuated their efforts in 2023.
With only three races left on the calendar, Krack acknowledges the season's many setbacks, noting the challenges that have kept the team from reaching its ambitious goals.
Reflecting on the year in an interview on the Aston Martin F1 website, Krack admitted it has been Team Silverstone's toughest under its rebranded guise.
“It's been our toughest season because we haven't met our own expectations,” Krack said, pointing to the lofty goals the team had set for itself after a strong 2023.
"We set ourselves the challenge of creating a car that we could continually develop to compete with the top four teams, and we've fallen short of those ambitions. We have to be honest about that.”
“We have to accept the situation, learn as much from it as we can, understand any mistakes we've made, and work out the best way to move forward,” he said, acknowledging that only by analyzing this season's hurdles can Aston Martin build a more competitive car for the future.
While the season has been disappointing on the track, Krack expressed immense pride in the resilience and dedication shown by the team's staff, both trackside and back at the Silverstone factory.
"I must also praise the team spirit which has been shown trackside and at Silverstone,” he added.
“In Brazil, against the odds, the team rebuilt two cars in record time. The teamwork has been incredible and you have made me very proud.
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“Back on base producing new parts in our new facility in record time to the highest quality. Everyone working together, no moaning, just collaboration. When I see that, I am confident of what we can all achieve together. “We just need time.”
Despite the setbacks, Krack sees value in the season's challenges as a vital learning experience.
"It would have been nice to not have the difficult time we have had, but the reality is that it's a useful learning experience," he said.
“Phases like this serve a purpose, and we gain understanding from them. We have to tread a fine line of being self-critical but not self-destructive.
'Getting depressed about the situation doesn't get us anywhere… but it is tough. “I would be lying if I said it wasn't.”
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For Krack, this season also highlights the razor-thin margins that define success in modern Formula 1. Addressing whether Aston Martin has been underperforming, he pointed to the intense competitiveness and complexity of the sport.
“You don't turn up and just blow everyone away,” he insisted. “The field has tightened this year, the gaps are incredibly small.
“Qualifying in Mexico was a good example: the car comes alive just a little bit and you're catapulted into the top 10 when you were expecting elimination in Q1, you're the weekend's big winner.
“But qualify P18 and your weekend is heavily compromised – in either scenario the deciding factor is a tenth of a second. Sometimes less.”
Such a high level of pressure, Krack believes, requires a certain resilience.
"I think this has become normalized,” he reflected. “It's a very exposing sport, quite easy to go from zero to hero and back to zero very quickly.
“You have to develop a certain resilience and not get too emotionally attached to any one performance. The way through it is to work hard, make good decisions, learn from mistakes."
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Formula 1 will kick off the final leg of its record 24-race season next week in Las Vegas. Krack is determined to see his team continue to turn its struggles into growth, while focusing on finishing the season on a positive note.
"The obvious goal for the rest of this season is to retain fifth place in the Constructors' Championship,” he explained.
“The least obvious goal is to take as much learning forward from here into 2025. We'll still be trying to get the maximum out of the races, but it's also important to use Friday practice sessions to understand if what we're doing is the right approach to take into 2025.”
The difficulties of 2024 may have tested Aston Martin, but Krack is confident that his team's dedication and collaboration will ultimately guide them forward.
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