Aston Martin team principal Mike Krack has come to the defence of Lance Stroll following his ninth-place finish in the Canadian Grand Prix.
Despite finishing seven places behind his teammate Fernando Alonso, Krack believes Stroll’s performance was commendable, considering where he started the race.
During the wet qualifying session at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, Stroll struggled to find grip, resulting in his elimination in Q2.
In contrast, Alonso secured a front row starting position with an impressive lap time.
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Stroll’s Saturday took another hit when he received a three-place grid penalty for impeding, forcing him to start from sixteenth place on Sunday.
While Alonso remained a contender for a podium finish, reclaiming second place from Lewis Hamilton around mid-distance and holding onto it until the end, Stroll found himself stuck in a DRS train for a significant portion of the race.
Additionally, the timing of the safety car compromised his strategy, as it was deployed just one lap after his pit stop.
Despite these challenges, Krack believes Stroll deserves recognition for his performance, as he managed to climb from sixteenth to ninth place.
One of the highlights of his race was a last-minute overtaking manoeuvre on Valtteri Bottas. Krack expressed his satisfaction with Stroll’s drive, considering the circumstances.
“I think he did really well,” Krack stated.
“In qualifying, he struggled with grip, and if you struggle like that and lack confidence, it becomes very difficult.
“During the race, I think he drove really well. We managed to get him out of traffic, and once he was clear, he was able to match the lap times of the frontrunners on Hard tires.”
Krack acknowledged the challenges of being stuck in a DRS train and emphasised the achievement of Stroll’s climb from sixteenth to ninth place.
While some might view it as a lackluster performance compared to his teammate’s second-place finish, Krack emphasised the progress made by Stroll throughout the race.
“On paper, it may seem like only ninth place, and when your teammate finishes second, it might not appear as a strong performance,” Krack explained.
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“However, considering where he started and the circumstances he faced, I think it was a very good performance.
“He will take the positives from here and carry them into the upcoming races.
“We know he excels on high-speed circuits, and we have a few of those coming up, so I’m confident that we can achieve good results with both drivers.”