After scoring just two points in the last three races, Aston Martin finally had a proper points haul in Montreal, finishing sixth and seventh in last weekend’s Canadian Grand Prix. Especially after a poor Monaco Grand Prix, the result was welcomed by team boss Mike Krack.
“Yeah, I think when you look at the final result, there was not more we could do today,” Krack assessed the final result. “Sixth and seventh, the cars ahead, started ahead, I think, except Lewis, but he was going to pass us anyway because he was much, much faster.
“But yeah, I think, you know, considering the pace, this is basically the maximum today.
“It was difficult in terms of conditions, it was difficult in terms of radar, but that’s the same for everybody. So, yeah, all in all, I think a good result for the team today.“
The AMR24 proves to be a difficult car to understand for the team thus far, as the results don’t come as easy as last year and lack downforce compared to the front runners. Krack wouldn’t go as far as to say that they now have complete understanding of the car following a better weekend in Montreal.
“That, I think, would be too easy to say. You know, Monaco is very special, so you have to always be very careful in conclusions around there.
“And then, as I said often, it’s also a matter of where you qualify, and this is really giving you your end position, because if you start 14th and 16th, it’s very far to the points, and if you start how we started today, it’s much, much easier.
“So, I think it would be premature to say we have understood everything. I think we have a lot of work to do still, but obviously it was a step in the right direction this weekend.”
Last year Fernando Alonso managed to grab a few podiums in the first half of the season, behind an utterly dominant Max Verstappen and Red Bull. This year the Austrian outfit seems much more beatable, but Aston Martin is not in the mix, to the dismay of the Luxembourgish team boss.
How far behind the top teams they are is a reminder of the work still ahead.
“I think we saw a very, very tough battle today for the win. Unfortunately, we could not challenge any of them. And that is also a lesson that we have to take away here today.
“I think we have a good result. Yes, we have 14 points. But we were never in a position to challenge the guys ahead.
“And I think that is very important, that we keep that focus and not get carried away by a couple of points or by our highest point scoring of the season.”
