$3 Billion Man Lawrence Stroll Given “The Right to be Demanding” as Aston Martin Reveals Soft Side to F1 Tycoon

Aston Martin Aramco Mercedes team. It is a heavy name. There would have been expectations. The newly formed team would have expected to have a good season. They had brought on an experienced driver in Sebastian Vettel last season. His 4 World Championships are no mean feat.

With 16 races down in 2022, Aston Martin are 9th on the Constructors’ Standings with 25 points. Their drivers, Sebastian Vettel and Lance Stroll, are 13th and 18th, respectively. In comparison to last year when they finished at 77 points at 7th place, they could possibly still do better.

But teams are never in F1 for the lower half of the table. They want the silverware. Team principal Mike Krack talks about the pressures of F1. He admits the owner, Lawrence Stroll is very demanding and his involvement in the team brings a certain degree of pressure.

At the same time, he clarifies, “The financial means he has put into this team give him the right to be demanding. But he is not over-pressurizing us.”

“He is around once a week or something like that, and wants to know what is going on, what are the next steps, why have we performed the way we did, what do we do next, and what is our strategy? And then after two hours he has other things to do. It is not that he comes in and decides every single item, not at all.”

“But, bottom line, I admire his patience, honestly,” says Krack.

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There are a lot of moving parts involved in running an F1 team. It seems that Aston Martin, in their 2nd season, are yet to find their feet. 

Can Aston Martin challenge for the title?

The team was set up in 2021 by Lawrence Stroll, the Canadian worth $2.9 billion. He had set a target of challenging for the World Championship by 2025. But the performances, last season and this, do not really match their expectations.

It is a team in flux. They lose Sebastian Vettel at the end of the season. The German will be replaced by another established veteran, Fernando Alonso. Krack believes Alonso will be integral to Aston Martin’s progress and improvements.

Krack says “He can push us, more than a driver who does not have that calibre. It will maybe be much more difficult than it is now. We discussed this. We said: ‘What are the pros and cons?’ And we came to the conclusion that it is the right step.”

“Normally, drivers with this experience, they do not have this desire to win. Normally, this desire goes down, especially if they have won already.”

“Fernando has this unique combination of speed, hunger, motivation and experience. For us, it makes the perfect candidate,” says a very confident Krack.

Stroll has also set up a new factory which shall start functioning by the end of the season. The team has also signed former RB Head of Aerodynamics, Dan Fallows. All these moves are intended to take the team to the next level – to attain the ambitions of the owner.

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Stroll’s last team, Racing Point, finished 4th in its last season in F1. He has experience challenging for podiums. His image is not one of mediocrity as he always targets the best. Aston Martin, Krack, and Fallows have a big task at hand.