F1 News: Aston Martin's Turbulent 2023 Season With Lance Stroll - "Always Stuck To Our Principles"

2023 mid-season challenges have made Lance Stroll a stronger driver.

Aston Martin's team principal, Mike Krack, acknowledged the team's turbulent 2023 season amidst Lance Stroll's challenges. Despite facing pressure to match teammate Fernando Alonso's performance, Stroll's resilience and handling of the situation impressed Krack, contributing to his growth as a driver.

As Stroll adjusted to the championship in his Aston Martin F1 car, recuperating from early-season cycling injuries, Alonso had already made a significant impact with his podium finishes.

Stroll was late to a party that had just begun for rival teams such as McLaren Racing and Ferrari, courtesy of the timely upgrades to their cars. Consequently, significant pressure mounted on him to compete effectively in the championship.

Commenting on the unlucky start that Stroll went through as a result of his injuries when the AMR23 was among the fastest cars on the gird, he said:

"We must not forget at the beginning of the season, when we had really strong car compared to the competition, he was hampered by the injuries.

"And then when the car was a little bit worse, he was in better shape again."

Pressure From Fans And Media

It got to a point where the media and fans questioned his future with the team, speculating about a potential influence from his father and team owner, Lawrence Stroll. Despite the scrutiny and pressure, Krack holds a positive view of how the team navigated through the situation. He told the media:

"They are they are young athletes, this is weighing on them.

"They want to perform, and if the performance is not to your own expectation it's always difficult for everybody.

"So, I'm really happy that we managed the turnaround, there was a lot of dialogue over all these months and weeks and what I really admire is that as a team, and also on Lance's side, we always stuck to our principles, working hard, working together, and believing in each other.

"And that makes me quite proud of the team. All this pressure, that also came from you guys, it was really weighing heavily on Lance. And to then come out the way he managed together with the team, I think it made us much stronger for the future."

Krack added that Stroll and the team learned a lot from Alonso, considering the 20+ years of Formula 1 experience he brought to the table. He said:

"Just like the team, Lance has learned a huge amount from Fernando.

"And also I think how to manage difficult situations, you always look what your teammate is doing, how he's behaving, or is handling.

"We have all learned a great deal there, not trying to invent things, but really stick to our data, stick to the analysis and move on from there." 

Keep up with the latest news on YouTube!