Krack downplays Alonso’s grim outlook on Aston Martin’s form

Former Aston Martin team principal Mike Krack has moved to cool Fernando Alonso’s increasingly gloomy take on the British team’s current struggles, insisting the picture isn’t quite as bleak as portrayed.

After salvaging a single point for tenth in Austin, Alonso described the AMR25 as “the ninth fastest car,” warning that Aston Martin has fallen into “no man’s land.”

"The top four teams are in a different league," Alonso said. "Williams is in the middle. Haas were faster, Sauber I can't even imagine, and Racing Bulls was behind us the whole race - they had a margin. Only Alpine is behind us. So with the ninth car we got a point. I'm happy with that."

Now turning his focus to the Adrian Newey-influenced 2026 project, the Spaniard added: "A point is better than nothing, but it's fine. We have to get to Abu Dhabi as quickly as possible, and if we get a point in a race, it's welcome."

But Krack - currently Aston’s chief trackside officer - urged against taking Alonso’s frustration at face value. "I think we're sometimes too self-critical," the Luxembourger said. "We also have to remember to celebrate the positive things."

He dismissed the suggestion that Aston has slipped to the tail end of the grid, saying: "We need to review these analyses in detail. Some use soft tyres, others medium, others hard - we need to look at the data before truly saying where we are in terms of pace.

"If you're overly self-critical every time you don't win, it becomes a long 24 races. When you get a point or several, you have to take a break, and then, the next day, go back to striving for perfection."

Alonso, however, admitted that Aston’s tendency to fade as weekends progress is a concern. "I was expecting a bit more," he said. "If you start tenth, you expect ninth or eighth to be possible. Two fast cars retired in front of us. Finishing tenth wasn't a very good race. On Friday we're good, on Saturday a bit less, and on Sunday a bit less."

The two-time world champion also sounded cautious about Aston Martin’s upcoming 2026 overhaul, which includes a new gearbox and a works partnership with Honda.

"We'll have to wait and see," he told DAZN. "We all start with doubts about whether we've taken the right path. We have new people, a new engine partner, and we'll make a gearbox for the first time in 17 years. It will be a busier start than for other teams."