Krack counters Alonso's grim evaluation of Aston.

Krack counters Alonso's grim evaluation of Aston.

      "Only Alpine trails us"

      Former Aston Martin team principal Mike Krack has sought to mitigate Fernando Alonso’s increasingly pessimistic view of the team’s performance, emphasizing that the situation isn't as dire as it seems. Alonso referred to the AMR25 as "the ninth fastest car" after barely securing a single point for a tenth-place finish in Austin, cautioning that Aston is currently in a "no man’s land."

      "The top four teams are in a different category," Alonso stated. "Williams is in the middle. Haas were quicker, and I can’t even speculate about Sauber, while Racing Bulls were behind us throughout the race - they had a gap. "Only Alpine is behind us. So with the ninth car, we earned a point. I’m pleased with that."

      The Spanish driver, now evidently looking ahead to Adrian Newey’s 2026 car, remarked: "A point is better than nothing, but it’s acceptable. We need to reach Abu Dhabi as soon as possible, and if we score a point in a race, it’s appreciated."

      However, Krack, who now holds the position of chief trackside officer, cautioned against being overly pessimistic. "I believe we can be too hard on ourselves at times," the Luxembourger noted. "We must also remember to acknowledge our positive aspects."

      Krack dismissed the notion that Aston finds itself at the back of the pack. "We need to analyze these assessments thoroughly. Some teams use soft tires, others medium or hard - we should examine the data before accurately determining our pace," he stated. "If you’re overly critical every time you don’t achieve victory, it becomes a long 24 races. When you earn a point or more, you need to take a moment to celebrate. Then, the following day, you go back to striving for excellence."

      Meanwhile, Alonso expressed concern about Aston's tendency to lose performance over the course of race weekends. "I was expecting a bit more," he acknowledged. "If you start in tenth, you anticipate the possibility of finishing ninth or eighth. Two fast cars retired ahead of us. Finishing tenth was not a great race."

      "The trend on Friday is good, slightly less on Saturday, and even less on Sunday." The two-time world champion also voiced uncertainty about 2026, when Aston Martin will introduce its own gearbox and collaborate with Honda. "We’ll have to wait and see," he told DAZN. "We all have reservations about whether we’ve chosen the right direction. We have new personnel, a new engine partner, and we’ll be making a gearbox for the first time in 17 years. The start will be busier than for other teams."

Krack counters Alonso's grim evaluation of Aston.

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Despite Max Verstappen's title challenge intensifying the championship race, McLaren remains steadfast in their stance that neither Oscar Piastri nor Lando Norris will be designated as the 'number 1' driver. Red Bull’s Laurent Mekies commented after the Austin race that McLaren’s consideration of this issue is "exactly what they should be doing." "To be completely honest, it's not something I'm focused on at all," the Frenchman stated. "This is the right approach for McLaren. I don’t have an opinion on it—it's up to them." Verstappen's commanding performance in Texas has reduced Piastri's lead to just 40 points, with Norris also closing the gap. However, Piastri dismissed the notion of elevating one driver over the other. "I don’t think that's the case," the Australian said. "We're still incredibly close, and we've both expressed a desire to compete for the championship because we both deserve it. It’s too tight to start favoring one driver over the other." Team principal Andrea Stella concurred, indicating that McLaren will only interfere if the situation calls for it mathematically. "If a decision needs to be made, it will be purely based on the mathematics," Stella confirmed. "I can recall the years 2007 and 2010, where the third-place driver ended up winning the championship on the last race. We won't shut the door unless the math dictates it." Verstappen’s recent performance—gaining 23 points on Piastri in Austin alone—has added pressure on McLaren, with Dr. Helmut Marko suggesting that Red Bull has "another car update in the pipeline." Nonetheless, Stella emphasized the need for the team to remain composed. "First and foremost, I need to keep calm myself," he said. "What we’re currently experiencing—an intense battle for wins and the Drivers' Championship—is precisely what Formula 1 represents. It was unusual for us to achieve P1 and P2 so easily in Barcelona, Bahrain, and several other venues. Now it's about adapting to this level of pressure and managing it with maximum intensity but minimal stress." He added, "We don’t want to lose the enjoyment of what we do. It’s a privilege to be in this position, one that is the result of the hard work from the team and both drivers. Our approach going forward is straightforward: continue performing well, and the results will come." Despite Verstappen’s efforts, Stella refuted suggestions that McLaren is losing grip in the battle. "The fact that we still have five races and two sprints means we could potentially widen the gap to Verstappen," he noted. "We view the upcoming races as an opportunity to extend that gap." Despite Max Verstappen's title challenge intensifying the championship race, McLaren remains steadfast in their stance that neither Oscar Piastri nor Lando Norris will be designated as the 'number 1' driver. Red Bull’s Laurent Mekies commented after the Austin race that McLaren’s consideration of this issue is "exactly what they should be doing." "To be completely honest, it's not something I'm focused on at all," the Frenchman stated. "This is the right approach for McLaren. I don’t have an opinion on it—it's up to them." Verstappen's commanding performance in Texas has reduced Piastri's lead to just 40 points, with Norris also closing the gap. However, Piastri dismissed the notion of elevating one driver over the other. "I don’t think that's the case," the Australian said. "We're still incredibly close, and we've both expressed a desire to compete for the championship because we both deserve it. It’s too tight to start favoring one driver over the other." Team principal Andrea Stella concurred, indicating that McLaren will only interfere if the situation calls for it mathematically. "If a decision needs to be made, it will be purely based on the mathematics," Stella confirmed. "I can recall the years 2007 and 2010, where the third-place driver ended up winning the championship on the last race. We won't shut the door unless the math dictates it." Verstappen’s recent performance—gaining 23 points on Piastri in Austin alone—has added pressure on McLaren, with Dr. Helmut Marko suggesting that Red Bull has "another car update in the pipeline." Nonetheless, Stella emphasized the need for the team to remain composed. "First and foremost, I need to keep calm myself," he said. "What we’re currently experiencing—an intense battle for wins and the Drivers' Championship—is precisely what Formula 1 represents. It was unusual for us to achieve P1 and P2 so easily in Barcelona, Bahrain, and several other venues. Now it's about adapting to this level of pressure and managing it with maximum intensity but minimal stress." He added, "We don’t want to lose the enjoyment of what we do. It’s a privilege to be in this position, one that is the result of the hard work from the team and both drivers. Our approach going forward is straightforward: continue performing well, and the results will come." Despite Verstappen’s efforts, Stella refuted suggestions that McLaren is losing grip in the battle. "The fact that we still have five races and two sprints means we could potentially widen the gap to Verstappen," he noted. "We view the upcoming races as an opportunity to extend that gap." Formula 1 | Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur expresses his appreciation for John Elkann's public endorsement—not due to a need for validation, but because it should (…) Piastri: I still believe I can win the title. Piastri: I still believe I can win the title. Oscar Piastri is confident that his experience fighting for a title in junior categories will help him now, as he leads the championship, but his advantage is rapidly shrinking... 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Krack counters Alonso's grim evaluation of Aston.

Formula 1 | Mike Krack, the former team principal of Aston Martin, has sought to mitigate Fernando Alonso's growing pessimism regarding the team's performance, asserting that the (…)