F1 News
Aston Martin boss: 'We're not afraid to upset people'
It turned out to be a masterstroke by Aston Martin F1. Well after the finish flag of the Austrian Grand Prix fell, the team of Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll lodged a protest against the result. According to the English, the race organisers had repeatedly missed violations of the track limits. Aston Martin was vindicated, the result went down the drain, certainly to the irritation of the competition.
Carlos Sainz - who had crossed the finish line in fourth place - was dropped back to sixth. Alonso thus moved up to place five. Stroll also benefited, moving up from spot ten to nine. Looking back on the whole circus - in which a total of 12 time penalties were handed out late in the evening - team boss Mike Krack told Sky Sports: "We're not afraid to upset people if it is for if it is for the for the course of the sport and also for our own advantage. We knew that this is going to create a little bit of turmoil if we do that. But at the end of the day, you know, we have to do what is right for the team in the first place And that is why we decided that we have to run the protest."
Aston Martin had learned its lesson
At the Red Bull Ring, it proved difficult for many drivers to stay within the lines. "I think they will (learn from it), we learned our lesson last last year to be honest," said the Luxembourger. "We had penalties last year and we said it yesterday, our drivers ears were bleeding because we told them not to exceed limits because the penalties would come and we we must also keep in mind 10 drivers had no penalties. So it was possible to stay within the limits."
Krack also addressed the balance of power between Alonso and Stroll. The Spaniard is ahead of his teammate almost every race. "It's an ambitious target (to be on charge with Alonso) because we must not forget Fernando is one of the greatest drivers in history of of the sport. So, very ambitious target, but I think you know, Lance has all the talent, all the possibilities to achieve that and, I think he needs to learn. He needs to learn from from Fernando see how Fernando does things but also keep his own way of working, and I think by the end of the year I will be on par."