Aston Martin team boss Mike Krack is impressed by what Fernando Alonso managed to achieve during the race in Jeddah. Despite George Russell having quite a bit of speed, the Spaniard managed to keep a gap of more than a second between himself and the Briton. “That was quite strong,” Krack told Motorsport-Total.com.
‘George was behind us and was fast. Fernando did this like no other could have done,” he praised his experienced driver. “He had it under control the whole time.” Although Russell was already behind the two-time world champion on lap 14, he did not enter Alonso’s DRS zone until lap 42. “For Fernando it was all about pushing so hard that he would make it. But I don’t know where he always managed to find those hundredths,” says Krack.
Was Alonso trying to fool competition?
For a moment it seemed that Alonso was not satisfied with his tires. He asked on the team radio if there was a plan B. Ultimately it turned out that he did not need this, which raises the question: was this a tactic to mislead the competition? ‘With Fernando you always have to make sure he means it. He obviously already knows all the strategies and knows who is where in the field.’
Krack does not say whether Alonso was really trying to fool the other teams. ‘He knows that the competition is listening. Fernando is a cunning old fox,” explains the Luxembourger. ‘He always keeps us on our toes. As soon as you think you have it figured out, a message comes over the radio asking for a plan B. Fernando always does that.’
Krack hopes that Alonso will still drive for Aston Martin in 2025
At the start of the race weekend, the Spaniard hinted that he is not sure whether he will still be on the grid next year, for Aston Martin or at all. Krack would miss him, he indicates. “It’s not just about what he brings in terms of talent and racing skills,” says Krack. According to him, this cannot be discussed. ‘Fernando brings that little bit extra. He motivates.’
The presence of the man from Oviedo is very important for the team. “He sets a good example, from early in the morning to late at night,” the Spaniard’s team boss explains. ‘He inspires the entire team with this and of course we want to keep it that way.’ The British racing team would therefore be happy to keep him. “We want to continue with Fernando, that’s no secret.”
Alonso is still thinking about the future
At the moment, both the full calendar and other teams pose a threat. Alonso himself indicated that the busy schedule demands a lot from him and at the same time there are rumors about a seat at Mercedes. “It is clear to me that a driver of his caliber is attractive to everyone,” says Krack. “But we’ll try to keep him.”
The team boss is willing to fight for his driver. “It is crucial that we give him a good car so that he continues to believe in the project and the team,” says Krack. “We’ll have to discuss everything else in the coming weeks.” Alonso has already indicated that he will decide in the coming weeks whether he will remain in Formula 1 after the 2024 season. Krack does not want to get too far ahead of things. ‘We remain with our feet on the ground. Step by step.’
