Aston Martin salvaged points in China, though Mike Krack concedes the team lacked true pace and relied on others’ misfortune.
Aston Martin may have left Shanghai with points, but even Team Principal Mike Krack admits they didn’t earn them on merit.
Lance Stroll was promoted to P9 after post-race disqualifications for both Ferrari drivers and Alpine’s Pierre Gasly. On track, though, Stroll only managed P12, and teammate Fernando Alonso retired early due to overheating rear brakes.
“It was a tough race day for us in Shanghai, and points were out of reach under normal circumstances,” Krack admitted.
Stroll was one of the few drivers to start on hard tyres and managed them well for 36 laps before switching to mediums. However, with both compounds holding up better than expected, most drivers only needed one stop — making it hard for Aston Martin to gain a strategic edge.
“Fernando’s race ended early because of critically high temperatures in the rear brakes. We had to retire the car to avoid risking further damage,” Krack added.
Looking ahead, the team is turning its attention to Suzuka in two weeks.
“We tried a lot of setup changes throughout the weekend in Shanghai. Now it’s about digging into the data back at the factory so we can come back stronger.”
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Stroll Inherits Points After China Shake-Up Drama
Stroll Inherits Points After China Shake-Up Drama
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