Krack: Alonso's been exactly what we needed him to be

Alonso replaced retired four time Formula 1 Champion Sebastian Vettel at Aston Martin at the start of the 2023 season and has been delivering a solid performance for the team, racking up six podiums in the first 12 races, never finishing out of the points.

Alonso's talents were of course complemented by the team's AMR23, their 2023 F1 car that proved to be fast straight out of the box and seemed to be the second fastest car behind Red Bull's dominant RB19 for the first part of the season, that is before Aston Martin fell behind the likes of McLaren, Mercedes and Ferrari.

Nevertheless, Mike Krack insisted they will keep pushing the development of the car, and that they know were they have gone wrong.

But one thing Aston Martin haven't gone wrong with, and that is hiring Alonso as Vettel's successor, and Krack reflected on the subject in an interview with the team's official website.

Asked of Alonso met his expectations, Krack said: "He's exceeded my expectations; and I had very high expectations.

"It's not what he does on track – that I expected – but it's the way he has integrated into the team," he explained. "He's been exactly what we needed him to be: constructive when you have to be constructive; challenging when you have to be challenging. Even critical when being critical is what will move us forward.

"Understanding that balance is more difficult than people perhaps credit," the Aston Martin boss insisted.

He continued: "The drivers jump out of the car, they're full of adrenaline and a microphone is shoved in their face. They talk to the media; they do their debriefs and it's difficult to always hit the right notes in those circumstances.

"In fact, saying the right thing is the exception rather than the norm. It's a tough thing to do. That's why I do not like to give interviews straight after a qualifying session or the race. I want to walk away for a bit and gather my thoughts. I don't envy the drivers.

"Fernando is fantastic at that stuff," Krack pointed out. "When he sends analysis, it's always positive, never a bad word: it's what he's discovered, what he feels, what worked well, what he'd like to try next."

As for the Spaniard's awaited 33rd victory; he said: "I'm not going to make a prediction about his 33rd victory, but we are incredibly determined to do everything we can to make it happen."

Krack was asked about the highlights of the 2023 F1 season so far while at the helm at Aston Martin, he responded: "It's not necessarily the podiums.

"For me, Lance's comeback from injury and Fernando's special approach in Monaco are what stand out," he added referring to the Canadian's pre-season cycling accident and the Spaniard's tough challenge to Max Verstappen in Monaco.

He explained: "Lance showed what a fighter he is when he jumped back in the car with broken wrists and a broken toe. The heart it took to do that lifted everyone and got us going in a really positive frame of mind.

"Lance hasn't had a lot of luck this year: aside from his broken bones, a few things have gone against him that really weren't his fault. The championship table tells a story, but inside the team we know what really happens.

"And with Fernando in Monaco, it wasn't the performance on track, it was the commitment, the desire, the total focus. He knew he had a shot and the approach, the dedication. I've never seen anything like it," Krack concluded.