After Fernando Alonso criticized Aston Martin’s update procedure, team principal Mike Krack responded with understanding: “Justified in this case.”
Aston Martin delivered one of its best performances of the season at the 2025 Hungarian Grand Prix, with Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll finishing fifth and seventh. But despite the team’s improving form, the two-time Formula 1 world champion criticized his team’s approach to updates ahead of the weekend in Zandvoort.
Alonso criticized that Formula 1 is not the place to constantly test updates that then have to be rolled back. Operations director Mike Krack commented on this in detail, explaining why Alonso’s criticism is justified and how the team is dealing with it.
Good performance in Hungary – but still a lot of competitive pressure
Krack first reflected on the performance in Hungary: “I think we really got everything out of it in Budapest,” he told ORF. The team was “on top of our game,” even if the pace in absolute terms perhaps did not quite meet expectations. Nevertheless, the top-five finish was a clear improvement compared to the first races of the season.
However, Krack emphasized that the competition is close: “From fifth place onwards, six teams are within 50 points. So a lot can still happen and it will be a battle until the last race.”
He makes it clear that although the performance in Hungary is a positive sign, it is by no means a preliminary decision for the championship. Aston Martin must continue to deliver consistently in order to hold its own in the midfield against teams such as Racing Bulls, Williams, and Sauber, which are all closely grouped together.
Krack shows understanding for Alonso
When asked about Alonso’s criticism, Krack responds with understanding: “A driver also has the right to criticize. In this case, it is justified.” He admits that Aston Martin has struggled to reliably bring developments to the track in recent years and that many upgrades did not work as predicted in the simulation.
At the start of the 2023 season, the team was still regularly fighting for podium places, but gradually fell behind before eventually ending up in midfield. Aston Martin is currently sixth in the constructors’ championship. Krack makes it clear that the criticism is not surprising: “But we also criticize ourselves. We don’t need that on top of everything else, but he has every right to express his opinion.“
With the rule change coming next season, we can hardly expect any updates from the teams this year anyway. So every team has to work with what they have available now: ”We now have to try to deliver consistently over the next ten races,” says Krack.
