Aston Martin boss Mike Krack has insisted the team did assess the other possible names on the Formula 1 driver market before deciding upon renewing Lance Stroll.
The Silverstone-based squad announced earlier this month that Stroll has signed a new multi-year extension to remain alongside current team-mate Fernando Alonso.
Alonso’s choice to extend his protracted career in F1 will ensure Aston Martin enters the series’ upcoming regulation change in 2026 with an unchanged driver line-up.
Aston Martin’s impending tie-up with Honda has prompted speculation Yuki Tsunoda, who will remain with RB in 2025, could be in line to make a switch down the line.
But while he’s admitted that Aston Martin would have been wrong to not at least review external options, Krack has expressed that retaining Stroll was the preference.
When asked how much Aston Martin contemplated making a change, Krack responded: “I think you should not get pressurised yourself by the driver market.
“I think you need to formulate what you want, which we were quite clear about and we pursued these targets.
“So, of course, you always look at what is there and what is available. I think plans B and plan C, obviously, everybody’s having.
“But if you can manage to make your plan A happen, then you should do that.”
Stroll’s status as the son of Aston Martin Executive Officer Lawrence Stroll has called into question whether the Canadian continues to preserve his position on merit.
The ex-Williams driver has not outscored a team-mate since his arrival at the team in 2019 and he sustained a comprehensive 132-point defeat to Alonso last season.
However, Alonso has been adamant Stroll has the potential to lead Aston Martin once he retires and hailed the dynamic between the pair as the best he has had in F1.
Krack has explained how that harmonious relationship between the team’s incumbent drivers was instrumental in the British marque’s decision to not make a change.
“I think for many weeks I said we want continuity, stability and continuity,” he added. “I think it’s very important for a team, especially heading into a new regulation set.
“And we’re quite happy that we have quite a mature line-up on the track. We know who our main opponents are and they are certainly not the other green car.
“So that is something that we have seen over the past years. They work very well together, pushing in the same direction. So we always wanted to do it like that.
“And obviously at this stage and throughout the season, I think the drivers was not our main problem.
“So we are quite happy that we have done this now and get some more calm into this situation.”
Hahhahaha it’s impossible to take Aston Martin seriously when they say things like this. Everyone knows why he gets to race for them, no need to make up some fanciful tale.
So they analysed the driver market when Carlos Sainz was a free agent and decided that Lance was their best option? Give me a break ????????????????????????????
They assessed the market and realized that no one else is the son of Lawrence Stroll….
But let’s be honest, even re-signing Alonso didn’t make sense since he lost to Stroll several times and has not been the Alonso of many years ago. Also, Alonso doesn’t have the reputation of a team-player or a driver who provides the right technical feedback, which is what a starting team needs, especially if the other driver is Alonso.
Something is seriously wrong with the policy makers at Aston Marting Racing. I wonder what Honda feels like.
First they hear Aston Martin will remain the sponsor, basically muting Honda’s name on that car (very few people even mentioned Honda when talking about Red Bull and even less will when talking about Aston Martin). No media will talk about Honda unless there are engine causes issues. Meanwhile, AM (roadcar company) is spending less then a 100th of what Honda is spending on this team while getting way more exposure for their brand (AM has more brand value and a lot of people think this is the Aston Martin factory team) based on what is for a huge part Honda’s effort.
Then Alonso get’s re-signed (old, way past his prime, bad team player, hurt Honda’s name deliberately, even after they split ties while not criticizing McLaren who had equal part of that bad engine, can’t be used in any commercial).
And now Stroll remains as well.
So what is Honda spending all these hundreds of millions for?