Aston Martin team principal Mike Krack said the team’s double points haul at the Canadian Grand Prix was “a step in the right direction” but did not mean they had a firm grasp on the AMR24’s problems.
Montreal fielded two cars in Q3 on Saturday for the first time this season and it was a turning point for Team Silverstone, with Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll finishing the race day P6 and P7 respectively.
But while Aston consolidated fifth place in the constructors’ championship with a 10-point lead over Visa Cash App RB in Montreal, Krack was not ready to declare victory over car balance issues on Sunday evening.
Aston Martin team bosses are concerned that the AMR24’s handling characteristics will be exposed even more harshly in the upcoming European races, especially at high-downforce venues such as Barcelona and the Red Bull Ring.
“It’s too early to say we have it all figured out,” Krack said after last weekend’s Canadian Grand Prix.
“I think we still have a lot of work to do, but it was definitely a step in the right direction this weekend.
“There are many different and difficult circuits coming up, so we have to look at what is the best package for the races ahead, because the racing will be very intense.”
©Aston Martin
Stroll, who achieved his best result in Montreal since Melbourne, credited Aston’s strong showing at his home race to the specific layout of Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, which alleviated the AMR24’s weaknesses.
“The track definitely suited our car,” he said. “We don’t have a lot of downforce, we’re efficient, we go fast in a straight line with a good DRS switch, all of which is good for Canada.
“In Barcelona and Budapest and these kinds of long corners, the cars will still be more difficult.”
“We took advantage of a pretty strong car all weekend and we’ll see what we can do in Barcelona, which is a very different kind of track. I think we’ll see what we can do. [solving our issues] But things don’t change overnight.”
Alonso echoed his team-mate’s views but hinted at future upgrades for the Spaniard that could potentially improve Aston’s performance even further.
The two-time F1 world champion said: “On paper we were happier in Montreal than in Barcelona. We think this track will be better for us, but let’s see if we have any surprises.”
“I know the team is working very hard to bring something new to Barcelona, so it will be a very interesting weekend. Let’s see if we can get points again with both cars. It’s definitely something we’re looking at. now.
“I’m very confident because the last few months have been very productive for us in terms of understanding the car.”
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