Aston Martin team principal Mike Krack believes there is “no explanation for being negative” about the team’s progress, having regressed in order from the same era last year.
Aston Martin, last season’s wonder after a strong start to 2023, has fallen back to fifth in the constructors’ standings this year as team owner Lawrence Stroll has invested heavily to turn the teams of Silverstone into big-name contenders in the coming years.
With a new factory now built and operational at Silverstone and significant expansion in the team since Stroll’s acquisition of the former Racing Point team, then-team principal Otmar Szafnauer had said at the launch of the team’s 2021 car that they hoped to fight for the World Championships in five years’ time, Honda Racing president Koji Watanabe responded to Stroll’s ambition to be a renowned challenger in the 2026 season in a recent interview.
Given that Stroll and the team’s investors have spent on infrastructure and team expansion, that initial goal is getting closer; however, Krack explained that the overall trajectory can go up and down, depending on the functionality of the team’s rivals.
With that five-year period being given to him in Canada, he defended the team’s current position, considering the long-term factory partnership with Honda from 2026 and emphasising his confidence that others can “judge sometimes too temporarily” when functionality doesn’t pass. as planned.
But after his good luck last season, he claimed that expectations have risen within the Aston Martin ranks.
“Last year at this point, you said you were way ahead of the plan, now we’re on the plan. So I think if you walk away, you really have to see, you know, is there any progress as a team?”Reporters were asked if he was “concerned” about Aston Martin’s current position compared to its rivals, after recalling the ultimate goal of being a sensible team.
“I think last year we were notoriously better than we thought, and I’ve said that on an upward trajectory it’s passing to pass up, it’s passing to pass down depending on what the competition is doing, but you have to keep it that way. Objective in sight. .
“And at the end of the day, it’s not just season after season, we also judge race after race.
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“So we make too temporary a judgment about the functionality of the team or about the functionality of an upgrade, or about the functionality of the car in general and especially also the drivers, we make a judgment very temporarily. .
“Now, when you look at trends, you can be positive or negative; This is the case with the stock market.
“So we have a plan in place. We expanded the team from an infrastructure point of view.
“The way we’re developing, we have wonderful spouses with Honda, we have a wonderful spouse with Aramco, so I don’t think there’s any reason to be negative.
“You won’t forget that I say we need to be careful when we set up projects of this kind.
“Progress is not linear, and the closer you get to the front, the more complicated it is.
“It’s not an excuse. We’re a team, so it’s okay and, to be honest, we have to deal with those issues if we release those statements.
“So, overall, I think I’m pleased with the way the team is developing. And I also think in the progression of the team, you also have to go through more complicated periods, you know, and the point of expectation is a lot. “much higher this year, because of last year, and that’s something we have to overcome. “
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