Lawrence Stroll’s Demanding Philosophy Faces Immense Criticism From One of Their Own: “It Requires Processes & Not Just More People”

The business of managing a Formula 1 team can be a tricky one. Even though most would agree that the best job in the sport is that of the drivers, team bosses are often the most widely recognized person in a successful F1 team. That being said, the line between success and messing things up must be treaded very carefully. In the past, we’ve seen team bosses like Toto Wolff get it amazingly right. However, on the flip side, a few rushed decisions can get a team in a fix pretty quickly, too. Aston Martin is unfortunately on the wrong side of that coin.

When Aston Martin announced its re-entry into the sport, many British racing fans were ecstatic. In the entire Aston Martin – F1 saga, the key aspect was the consortium led by Billionaire Lawrence Stroll. The funds infused into the team were touted as the single biggest reason for the team to eventually succeed. But two years into their stint, the team has not really matched expectations. Though there are a few factors behind this, team boss Mike Krack suggests one overarching theme in the way things were being run before him that has led to this slow start for the British team.

Aston Martin went on a shopping spree, so to speak, when they entered the sport. Their hiring policy was liberal, and they onboarded a plethora of new members to the team in that pursuit. But for Krack, this is where it all went wrong.

Next-Gen Auto quoted Krack as saying, “When I arrived at Aston Martin F1, I found a team that grew very fast. Too fast. I said it once and I got a lot of criticism internally for it. It’s like this: when you grow fast, processes and routines between departments can’t grow as fast.” [translated via Google Translate]

“In the beginning, you have a team based on 10, 15 people. Everything goes through those 10, 15 people. If you recruit very quickly, then a lot of things will miss those people or they can’t manage it. Then, your normal processes won’t work either. Because at the same time maybe 20 more things to do have been added. It requires processes and not just more people,” explained Krack.

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It’s no secret that Aston Martin hasn’t delivered on that promise to succeed. However, with the advent of 2x champion Fernando Alonso joining the team in 2023, things are looking up.

Fernando Alonso spills the beans on the secret that will propel Aston Martin to F1 glory

Fernando Alonso has time and again reiterated his desire to challenge for that elusive 3rd F1 title. Having said that, why would he then go to a team languishing in the midfield? If you believe what the Spaniard has to say, Aston Martin may as well be on the path to bridging the gap between the top 3 and themselves.

PlanetF1 quoted the 41-year-old as saying, “It starts with an idea. But when will it be possible? What do you need to do to make it possible? This is what you have to keep asking yourself. This is what you have to keep working towards. We have the talent in this team. When we go racing, we need to execute every race to perfection – to maximize the results from the ingenuity that has gone into the car.”

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Do you think Aston Martin can help Alonso finally get his hands on that 3rd F1 title his talents deserve?