Aston Martin admits its situation and accepts the challenge

“The result was disappointing, but it was also a reality check. We had a couple of races where we thought it was certain on the track and we thought we could be fast here and we weren’t. It was very clear then Aston Martin Principal Team, Mike Crackat the end of Hungarian GP of F1 2023, a race that confirmed that the green team has been overtaken by the best development of other cars in recent months. Aston Martin started the course with the second best single-seater on all types of tracks after Red Bull, capable of fighting one-on-one against energy drinks on mousetrap tracks and slow curves like Monaco. Hungary should be another stronghold from which to dream of the long-awaited victory number 33 for Fernando Alonso or at least the podium. But the reality check is huge.

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Aston Martin He came from suffering on tracks like Austria and Silverstone, fast curve. The team is clear that the other teams have improved and that on unfavorable tracks like the two previous tracks they have to suffer, but in Hungary they think they can stand up again by maximizing their strengths on a track that is perfect for them. Something else happened. Red Bull are out front, with McLaren as the second best car battling Mercedes, just Ferrari behind and Aston Martin as the 5th best car on what should have been favorable tarmac. This makes it clear that Aston Martin has been too stagnant in its evolutions, with less production of parts and less steps forward than others since the start of the season.

“That shows we are not where we are. Other teams have overtaken us. This is ground we have to make up and there is no way to hide, we have to improve the car”added Krack in remarks to ‘DAZN F1’.

“I think other people have developed faster than us. At the beginning of the season I said that we are competing with very strong teams in the development race and we are not fast enough. We have to improve this aspect to regain positions”, added the Team Principal of the Silverstone team.

They had a great chance

Aston Martin didn’t just start with the advantage of having the second best starting car. Their rivals had so many problems that they should have lost more time and money in the context of budget constraints. In addition, the green box has more time in the wind tunnel. And on top of that, his car is new, so he has more room than his rivals’ single-seaters, which are purely evolution cars from last year. But Aston Martin still works in a smaller factory and has to outsource most of the parts it needs to make, which means more wasted time and money and less control over the situation.

In addition, the team had to deal with that development challenge in conjunction with its recent move to its large new factory. That change may hurt him in this course, but they hope that in the coming years having a larger space, with more machinery using the latest technology, will allow him to have faster and more accurate part manufacturing processes than today.

“We have to work to catch up with some cars”

In that context, Aston Martin isn’t throwing in the towel. Alonso has made it clear on several occasions that the team is committed to creating a 2024 car, but for this, as Tom McCullough, head of performance of Aston Martin, told MD, it is key to take parts on the track this year thinking about next year because the best conclusions are obtained from rolling on the asphalt. However, Mike Krack made it clear that the team will work at maximum performance to turn the situation around and not just thinking about next year.

“The difference is not very big, but there are many people put together and there you end up eighth or ninth in the car ranking. I feel sorry for the drivers because they gave their all. They need a better car and we will work hard to do it,” he added, highlighting the great equality between many cars in Hungary, where a tenth can give you many positions or leave you in Q3.

“We’re not looking at 24, we have to raise our level with this car. The regulations are stable and there are always things that can transfer to next year’s car. But we really have to work hard to catch up with some cars ahead again.” Aston Martin wants to keep fighting. In good weather, the team is very effective. Now, it’s his turn to give a callus in a more delicate moment. A litmus test for an ambitious project that wants to aim to win as soon as possible.