Aston Martin Boss Defends Stroll, Slams Stewards After Ricciardo Crash

Aston Martin team principal Mike Krack has come to the defense of his driver Lance Stroll following a controversial collision with Daniel Ricciardo at the 2024 Chinese Grand Prix. Krack criticized the inconsistency of the race stewards' decisions and felt the 10-second penalty given to Stroll for the incident under safety car conditions was "very severe."

The crash occurred when Stroll made contact with Ricciardo's McLaren, leading to criticism from the Australian driver. However, Krack pointed to other incidents where he believed the stewards were inconsistent in their rulings. He noted that Fernando Alonso received an immediate 10-second penalty for a similar incident in Australia, while other clashes, such as the Ferrari drivers pushing each other off the track, did not result in any penalties.

Krack suggested that Alonso and Stroll may be singled out for more severe treatment due to their reputations. "We have the feeling that we are not treated the same," Krack stated. "We see other incidents where no action is taken, and then incidents involving us or Fernando, and then there is an immediate 10-second penalty."

The Aston Martin boss acknowledged that the stewards have a challenging job and are only human, but he emphasized the need for greater consistency in the application of penalties. Krack argued that the punishment has been more severe in recent races, despite the exciting action in the sprint events.

Why this matters: The controversy surrounding the Stroll-Ricciardo incident highlights the ongoing debate about the consistency and fairness of stewarding decisions in Formula 1. As the sport continues to grow in popularity and competitiveness, ensuring a level playing field and clear, consistent rules enforcement becomes increasingly critical for maintaining the integrity of the championship.

Looking ahead, Krack believes the best solution for Aston Martin is to have a fast car and avoid getting involved in such incidents altogether. "The best is to have a quick car and then drive away from all these issues," he concluded. The team will aim to bounce back from this setback and focus on improving their performance in the upcoming races of the 2024 Formula 1 season.

Key Takeaways

• Aston Martin's Krack defends driver Stroll over collision with Ricciardo
• Krack criticizes inconsistent steward decisions, 10-sec penalty on Stroll "severe"
• Krack suggests Alonso and Stroll face harsher penalties due to reputations
• Stewards' inconsistent rulings raise concerns over fairness in F1 championship
• Aston Martin aims to focus on car performance to avoid such incidents