Stroll is defended with a curious comparison by his team principal

Mike Krack has stood up for Lance Stroll in the paddock to the press after the Chinese Grand Prix. The Aston Martin team principal said the 10-second penalty was too harsh.

"I think it was a chain reaction at the end of the day," Krack told press in China. "You saw Fernando locking and another car behind and I think everybody was a little bit called out. And I think at that stage we were happy that we did not lose both cars because I think he started further to the front and I would have liked that this would have been looked at in a little bit more detailed way. We tried to discuss it, but the verdict was very quickly that Lance was to blame and he got a ten-second penalty additionally to the front wing damage."

Stroll compared to Russell

The stewards ruled that Stroll himself was not paying attention and therefore collided on top of Daniel Ricciardo. Krack disagrees. "You can see it as you want. Last time it was the car in front that got the penalty in Melbourne. If you remember, even without touching this time, it was the car behind," Krack points to the penalty Alonso got for the moment with George Russell in Australia.

Krack believes it has been judged too easily that Stroll was at fault in this case. In addition, the penalties are given too arbitrarily. One thing Krack does know for sure. If this continues with penalties, Alonso and Stroll will not make it to the end of the season due to the amount of penalty points, according to the Aston Martin team principal.

"At this rate, it would be tough to finish this season," Krack joked when asked about his team's drivers' penalty points.