Aston Martin team principal Mike Krack has jokingly teased Mercedes over knowing “more about our car than we do” after Lewis Hamilton was informed of a brake issue supposedly affecting Fernando Alonso during the Canadian Grand Prix, unbeknownst to Aston Martin.
In the final laps of the race, Hamilton closed the gap to Alonso to just 1.4 seconds when he received a message from Mercedes about his rival’s rear brake problem.
Upon hearing the news, Aston Martin’s pit wall was caught off guard as they had no knowledge of any brake issue.
Krack commented on the situation after the race, saying:”I was surprised as well to hear that. I think Lewis was told we had a brake situation.
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“We looked at each other and we said, ‘They know more about our car than we do; we should speak to our Mercedes engineers.'”
However, it turned out that Alonso did not have a brake issue, at least not according to Aston Martin’s information.
Interestingly, the team had concerns about a potential fuel system problem affecting Alonso’s car at one point during the race.
In an effort to conserve fuel and chase down race leader Max Verstappen for the victory, Alonso was instructed to lift and coast.
His response: “I want to win this race, mate,” indicated his determination to push despite the instructions.
Ultimately, the fuel system concern proved to be a false alarm. Krack explained: “We thought we had a problem with the fuel system.
“But we were not sure, so as a precaution, we said the best is to save some fuel and to do lift and coast.”
When pressed for further details, Krack maintained that the perceived problem did not materialise in the end.
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Regarding the potential impact on Alonso’s chances of victory, Krack prioritised bringing home second place and stated that it was difficult to judge the exact cost of the precautionary measures. He estimated it might have cost them a few tenths of a second.
Alonso, who secured his sixth podium finish in eight races, is now closing in on Sergio Perez in the Drivers’ standings, trailing by just nine points. When asked if he believes he can surpass Perez to claim second place, Alonso confidently replied, “Yes.”
As Aston Martin reflects on the race and their communication with Mercedes, Krack’s humorous comment highlights the challenges and complexities of managing a Formula 1 team and the importance of effective collaboration and information sharing.