Aston Martin Chief Defends Lance Stroll Amid FIA Scrutiny
Oct.12 - Aston Martin boss Mike Krack has leapt to the defence of the team's under-fire Lance Stroll.
Amid rumours about his future at his own father's Formula 1 team, 24-year-old Stroll found himself in hot water with the FIA after the Qatar GP.
It is believed Stroll's talks this week with the FIA compliance officer relate to his violent shove of trainer Henry Howe after qualifying, and perhaps also post-race disparaging comments about F1 stewards.
But Krack says the Canadian was just frustrated.
"When a soccer player is substituted, he doesn't give the coach a high-five - he throws the jersey or the water bottle around," he told Auto Motor und Sport.
Krack says it's unfair for journalists and fans to condemn Stroll for showing emotion.
"We want emotions from athletes," he insists. "But when they show some, we're quick to judge. It goes too far when ten people sitting on the sofa or in an air-conditioned room say that you can't behave like that."
"We have to show more respect," Krack added. "Of course you have to talk to the driver about it, but you also have to put it in perspective. Things like that happen in the heat of the moment."
"After you've slept on it for a night, you look at it again, discuss it and then the world looks different again."
What Krack doesn't deny is that Stroll has struggled alongside his teammate Fernando Alonso this season.
"He was significantly closer to Fernando at the beginning of the season," said the Luxembourgish official. "We have to understand that."
"It could have something to do with how we developed the car during the season. We already have some suspicions and now we need to find out what is really the case."
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Krack obviously missed his classes at the Gunny School of Driver Relations. Good on him for making reasonable arguments defending his driver. Wrong, but reasonable nevertheless. It always amazes me that drivers are expected to unconditionally support their team, but the bosses will throw them under the first bus to come along.
I find Gunny’s School of Driver Relations preferable because it provides clear and honest feedback. In contrast, Krack is compensated by Lurch to only speak positively about Lance. Throughout the year, some of Alonso’s comments about Lance appeared biased due to his financial incentive, and it would have been appropriate to include a disclaimer noting that he was being paid to make those comments.
Who pays Krack? Lance's father! Obviously he won't say anything detrimental about the big boss's son, or he may be looking for another job!
Sounds like he is saying that the car was developed for Alonso and Lance hasn't been able to adapt to the changes. Probably correct!
Good point re Mr. Stroll signing his paycheck. Perhaps I gave Kracker a bit too much credit.
Thats what Checo is saying, So who knows
Recently I watched a Belgian Grand Prix from 1955. It featured two of motor sport's greatest icons ~ Alfred Neubauer as Mercedes Benz team manager, and their driver Juan Manuel Fangio, the truly undisputed G.O.A.T. At the time, Stirling Moss also drove for Mercedes Benz.
Fangio's car developed a problem, so Alfred Neubauer called him and his team mate Karl Kling into the pits and Fangio took out the Kling's car back into the race and won the race by a big margin.
I know they cannot swap cars any more, but to me it really showed Fangio's immense talent, that is lacking in today's field. I mean, each driver likes to set up their car their own way, but Fangio just took off in Kling's car as if it was his own setup. Maybe Max could successfully drive Checo's car, but I am sure Checo wouldn't be able to achieve success in Max's car. IMO it's evidence that today's drivers are not so adaptable, and Ricciardo is a prime example following 2 years at McLaren where he was unable to come to terms with the car! Yes, I know, none of them are like Fangio, but it's interesting to compare different driver's skills and weaknesses, and it demonstrates how rare people like Fangio really are!