F1
Is Lance Stroll Demotivated? No, But He's Being "Treated Unfairly" According to Mike Krack
© Javier Jimenez / DPPI
The years go by and the speeches are similar among Aston Martin. From time to time, Mike Krack allows himself a little media outing in order to defend his pilot, Lance stroll, regularly criticized for his disappointing sporting performances but also for his involvement – or rather, lack thereof – in front of journalists and cameras. Indeed, in addition to having had a desperate season (24 points, 13th in the championship), the Canadian is not the most talkative character, nor the most jovial when it comes to speaking in front of the press. A withdrawn character that questions his motivation to be in Formula 1, a feeling reinforced after his blunder at the Brazilian Grand Prix where the 26-year-old driver crashed into the gravel trap on the formation lap.
Criticisms that come in addition to those – already present for a long time – of the filiation between Lance Stroll and his father, Lawrence Stroll, who is none other than the owner of Aston Martin and therefore of the British team. But according to Mike Krack, all these criticisms are unjustified and the Canadian is "treated unfairly" by Formula 1 media and sports figures. The former Aston Martin Team Principal – now responsible for the team on the track – still claims that the gap between Lance Stroll and his teammate Fernando Alonso is "very weak", despite the Spaniard's broad domination in 2024 (70 to 24 in terms of points, 19 to 5 in the qualifying duel).
« First of all, if you look at the gap he has with his teammate, who is one of the best of all time, it is very small. We have someone who is very serious about the development of the car, the driving in the simulator, the fitness and the constructive spirit in the meetings, assures the Luxembourger from Crash.net, who believes that Lance Stroll is judged primarily on his performances off the track rather than on it. He is judged primarily on how he handles his media duties. He is a racing driver and for me a racing driver has to drive first. We also know that Formula 1 has evolved, there is a lot of exposure, duties and media commitments. I think that is something that people really focus on.
Stroll "loves to drive" in Formula 1, assures Krack
Asked about Lance Stroll's motivation and passion for Formula 1, which doesn't seem that obvious in public, Mike Krack retorts by saying that the Canadian is " absolutely " passionate about his work with Aston Martin. When we had the three-week break [in the fall], Lance called me and asked if we could do a track day in an old car, because he wants to drive. That's the difference. It's a sport where there's no testing and we have someone who loves to drive, underlines the leader of the British team. It's very unfair when you read some of the comments and they are often written without much research, because it suits the public opinion, to fill a few lines. The image is really distorted. It's the case in all sports: there are the bad guys, the good guys, drawers to fill, and Formula 1 is the same."
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Dorian Grangier
A young journalist nostalgic for the motorsport of yesteryear. Raised on the exploits of Sébastien Loeb and Fernando Alonso.
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eric stevens
12/01/2025 at 11:51 a.m.
on the track, I persist in saying that he does the job, no better or worse than an ocon or a tsunoda, rather better than a zhou or others with the right flag. where he sins is that F1 driver is not limited to the track, you become a public figure, you represent interests, an engine manufacturer, sponsors, few drivers like this part of their job but they do it better than him for the reasons we know, and especially because they have no choice! the press has called him a daddy's boy since his beginnings and looks more at his origins than his results, it's anti-rich racism! because it's not enough to be poor to be honest, he deserves, as much as many, to be there and I already find him very patient on certain stupid and inappropriate questions. alonso the dishonest has less of a place than him in the car but he sells more caps..
Yves-Henri RANDIER
12/01/2025 at 05:35 a.m.
Lacking information on F1 to the point of republishing this article published at the end of December? In any case, no new information on the change of the defective steering wheel bucket interface of the second Aston ... Stroll "loves driving" in Formula 1, assures Krack. Fortunately Junior likes driving at the price he is paid by Papounet, who wouldn't be!!
DANRV64
12/01/2025 at 04:26 a.m.
Alonso did the same, praising the qualities of his teammate. He is the only driver on the grid who seems to be there without his full consent.
Yves-Henri RANDIER
28/12/2024 at 05:21 a.m.
Mike Krack is being politically correct with his employer - it's hard for him to do otherwise! - by stating that Stroll Jr is not demotivated. Rather than stating this, the question that arises is, was the only permanent employee on the grid really ever motivated by F1,🧐?