Why Aston Martin team boss Krack criticizes the actions of the Formula 1 stewards and why Ralf Schumacher “cannot take this criticism seriously “
In Formula 1’s unofficial “list of offenders”, Aston Martin is right at the top: Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso are both in the “Top 5” with seven and six penalty points respectively from the past twelve months. And according to Aston Martin team boss Mike Krack, that’s no surprise
After the 2024 China Grand Prix in Shanghai, Krack said: “The stewards have been tough on Fernando and Lance recently, including last weekend.” On Saturday, Alonso received a penalty for a contact with a competitor, and on Sunday there was also a collision penalty against Stroll after the accident with Daniel Ricciardo. Krack describes this in particular as “very harsh”.
The team boss appeals for understanding for his driver: “The bottom line is that it was a chain reaction that started a little further back.” And that is exactly what he accuses the stewards of: a lack of foresight.
Krack continues: “It would have been nice if they had looked at it in more detail. We wanted to discuss it that way, but they quickly came around the corner with the verdict that Lance was to blame.”
What Krack does not say at this point, but what the journalists on site in Shanghai confront him with: The actual trigger for the accident scene between Ricciardo and Stroll was probably Stroll’s teammate Alonso, who was the first driver in the pack to brake before the hairpin, triggering the “accordion effect”.
Krack says: “I think that got everyone off on the wrong foot a bit. And we were happy not to lose both cars in that scene. “
Schumacher: Krack only says what Stroll lets him say
Formula 1 expert Ralf Schumacher, however, does not want to let these statements stand as Krack repeatedly tries to gloss over Stroll’s mistakes. Also in this case.
“You can’t really take that seriously, because the team stands or falls with Lance Stroll,” explains the former Formula 1 driver. “Father Lawrence dictates how that is said. I think anyone who sees Mike Krack in an interview with us knows exactly what situation he is in as far as that is concerned.”
The fact that Krack stands by his drivers is “not so bad”. Stroll is also “not the first or the last driver to have something like this happen to him”, says Schumacher.
“The only question is how you deal with it. I would have been ashamed myself and would have sent someone from the team over to Red Bull and also to Ricciardo to apologize during the race. And I’m a little surprised at the arrogance. “
Aston Martin remains true to itself, Schumacher believes
But a change of attitude is not in sight at Aston Martin, says Schumacher: “As long as the father or son don’t decide that it’s over, it will stay that way. Because of course it’s his team.”
And Stroll does not completely disqualify himself with such scenes. “Logically, there are better drivers than Lance Stroll. One of them sits right next to him in the team,” says Schumacher. “But there are also worse drivers. That’s why Stroll really does have highlights. “
Krack: How you do it, you do it wrong
The restart in the Grand Prix in Shanghai is not one of them. And team boss Krack at least wants to accept this criticism. He says: “Of course you can say that the driver has to be more careful. On the other hand, if you are too cautious at the restart and lose more than a car length, then everyone will tell you that you’ve messed up!”
“There are sometimes erratic scenes at the restart. That’s how it is this year and that’s how it will be again in the future. “
Schumacher shows understanding for the restart situation
Formula 1 expert Schumacher agrees: “Of course, that’s the crux of the restart. You don’t want to embarrass yourself and you don’t want to lose ground. Then the driver is often really focused on not losing ground. And if he then accelerates and brakes at that moment, it’s simply too late. I’ll say it again: I don’t think that’s so bad.”
A situation like that “naturally looks incredibly embarrassing”, says Schumacher. “But you have to be open and honest about it. Then you can say, ‘Man, I’m a fool, I’m sorry’. And if you go up to Riccardo afterwards, shake his hand and say, ‘sorry I messed up your race’, then it’s fine too. “
Team boss Krack: Always Aston Martin
Krack is only partially convinced. He believes that he and his team are still in the crosshairs of the stewards – and is irritated by the fact that action is demanded on the one hand, but action leads to penalties on the other.
O-Ton: “When you spend hours with the stewards again, you get the impression that it’s not fair. Maybe we’ll see things differently in two days’ time. But then there were also scenes in turn 6 where one car pushed the other off the track and nothing happened. But Fernando? Ten seconds straight away!”
In general, Alonso is a good example of questionable decisions by the stewards, says Krack, referring to the scene with Mercedes driver George Russell in Australia: “The car was given a penalty before that, and there hadn’t even been any contact. This time [with Stroll] it was the rear car.”
“Or Bahrain, first lap: Lance was spun around, but the person who caused it was not prosecuted. Unfortunately, that gives the impression that things are not very consistent here,” says Aston Martin Team Principal Krack, looking at the penalty points table. He jokes: “If it continues like this, it will be difficult to get through the season!”
