In the aftermath of the Austria Grand Prix, Aston Martin made a strategic move by lodging a protest against the race result.
The team alleged that the race organisers had repeatedly overlooked violations of the track limits.
Aston Martin’s protest proved successful, leading to a reshuffling of the final standings and causing frustration among their competitors.
Carlos Sainz, who initially crossed the finish line in fourth place, was demoted to sixth, while Fernando Alonso advanced to fifth place as a result.
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Lance Stroll also benefited from the protest, moving up from tenth to ninth place.
Reflecting on the incident, Aston Martin team principal Mike Krack spoke to Sky Sports and emphasised their commitment to doing what is right for the team and the sport, even if it upsets others.
“We’re not afraid to upset people if it is for the course of the sport and also for our own advantage,” Krack stated.
“We knew that this is going to create a little bit of turmoil if we do that.
“But at the end of the day, you know, we have to do what is right for the team in the first place, and that is why we decided that we have to run the protest.”
The Red Bull Ring proved to be a challenging circuit for many drivers to stay within the track limits.
Krack acknowledged that lessons had been learned from past experiences, saying, “I think they will (learn from it), we learned our lesson last year to be honest.
“We had penalties last year, and we told them not to exceed limits because the penalties would come. Ten drivers managed to stay within the limits, so it was possible.”
Krack also commented on the performance balance between Alonso and Stroll within the team.
While Alonso consistently outperforms his teammate, Krack acknowledged that it was an ambitious goal for Stroll to match the Spaniard’s level of expertise.
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He stated, “It’s an ambitious target because we must not forget Fernando is one of the greatest drivers in the history of the sport.
“So, very ambitious target, but I think Lance has all the talent, all the possibilities to achieve that.
“He needs to learn from Fernando, observe how he operates, while also maintaining his own approach. By the end of the year, I believe they will be on par.”