May 16 (GMM) Rival Formula 1 teams are often “disrespectful” and “unfair” to Lance Stroll.
That’s the claim of Aston Martin boss Mike Krack, amid ongoing suggestions from within and outside the F1 paddock that Stroll, 25, does not deserve to be on the grid.
The Canadian is the son of billionaire team owner Lawrence Stroll, which Krack says puts extra pressure on Lance.
“I do think he puts a lot of pressure on himself,” he told Auto Motor und Sport. “But you have to understand that when he has such a strong teammate.
“On top of that, there is this whole project that was built around him. And the way he deals with it is exemplary. It is certainly not easy,” Krack added.
Some, however, insist that it’s time Aston Martin – having recently re-signed Fernando Alonso into the new rules era in 2026 – began to move away from Lance Stroll.
Yuki Tsunoda and Honda are not hiding that they would like to remain together in Formula 1 beyond the end of the Japanese carmaker’s current Red Bull era.
“In the end, we need an available seat for Aston Martin if they’re keen to support me from 2026 onwards,” Tsunoda, currently at RB, told F1’s official website.
Krack was asked about the fact that midfield teams and drivers often joke that they are locked in a perpetual battle with Stroll for the final championship point at every grand prix.
“In my opinion, that is disrespectful,” the Aston Martin team boss insists. “And also unfair.
“If you look at his development in recent years, he handled the duel with Sebastian (Vettel) well. He has also done well against Fernando.
“We do still need to get a bit more consistency. We need to work on that,” the German admitted. “But I find that statement disrespectful, even if in an environment like Formula 1, I can understand it.”
Some have also suggested that Stroll is unusually protected from criticism by his team.
“No, not at all,” Krack insists. “Criticism does happen. But like with Fernando, we don’t voice the criticism in public.
“The Lance we know in the team is a different Lance than the one that may exist in the public eye. That is one of the reasons why we have to stand up for him when criticism comes from the outside.
“He is a very hard worker. He doesn’t just fly in and get into the racing car, as would be the cliche.”