Fernando Alonso’s F1 career has experienced a revival ever since he became a part of Aston Martin.
Mike Krack has revealed how Aston Martin managed to stop Fernando Alonso from “tearing us apart” in the aftermath of a difficult F1 2023 race in Mexico.
Alonso, who recently signed a new multi-year contract with the team until at least the end of F1 2026, has established himself as a key player at Aston Martin since joining the team last year.
Aston Martin explain Fernando Alonso’s ‘team player’ reinvention
After securing a spot on the podium in six out of his first eight races for the team, the two-time World Champion’s Aston Martin gradually lost momentum throughout the F1 2023 season due to falling behind in the development race.
Alonso’s season reached its lowest point in Mexico, as he retired from a wretched race at the back of the pack.
Following the race, there were rampant speculations circulating on social media suggesting that Alonso was on the verge of announcing his retirement. These rumors emerged due to his apparent dissatisfaction with the team’s decline during the mid-season.
Fernando Alonso and Aston Martin: A marriage made in heaven?
Ranking Fernando Alonso’s F1 career moves from worst to best
Why Fernando Alonso at Aston Martin is reminiscent of a modern motorsport love story
However, despite promising to take action against the person responsible for spreading retirement rumors, the experienced racer retaliated in Brazil a week later and secured his last podium finish of the F1 2023 season.
Alonso proceeded to convey his pride in Aston Martin’s unity following the letdown in Mexico, stating: “A satisfying outcome was truly imperative for us.”
“I believe that securing a top-five position, although not a podium finish, was extremely important for the team.”
I am delighted for the Aston team as their level of determination, focus, and problem analysis in recent events was exceptional, resulting in a strong sense of unity among everyone involved, which is quite uncommon.
“When faced with challenges, it is common to observe teams pointing fingers and blaming one another. However, I found it truly admirable to witness the strong unity we displayed as a team during such difficult times.”
Krack explained that since joining Aston Martin, Alonso has transformed into a team player who seldom critiques his colleagues. He attributed this change to Alonso’s adoption of Krack’s management style, which has fostered a team environment characterized by trust and open communication.
He highlighted the Mexico race as evidence that Aston Martin had saved Alonso from a precarious situation.
In an interview with German publication Auto Motor und Sport, he emphasized the significance of maintaining a harmonious atmosphere within the team by juggling various personalities. Fernando serves as a great illustration of this.
“I follow a straightforward strategy: maintaining open, honest, and transparent communication with everyone.”
“To establish a strong foundation of trust, it is essential to consistently practice honesty with one another.”
“If we consider the race in Mexico last year, we provided Fernando with a car that was likely the least speedy among all the competitors.”
Although he had the opportunity to publicly vent his frustration in the media, we successfully prevented him from causing division among us.
He demonstrates exceptional teamwork skills.
In F1 2024, Alonso and Aston Martin have faced challenges in achieving remarkable success. His best outcome in the initial six races of the new season has been securing fifth place in Saudi Arabia.
Read next: Follow PlanetF1.com’s WhatsApp and Facebook channels for all the F1 breaking news!
