Aston Martin criticizes China’s “very harsh” penalty against Stroll

According to many critics, Lance Stroll was in his element in the Formula 1 race in China: During the car safety phase, he chased Daniel Ricciardo, who then retired. Aston Martin team boss Mike Krack is defending Stroll – and considers his punishment excessive.

Stroll ran into the back of Ricciardo shortly before the end of the fast car section before the hairpin corner at the Shanghai International Circuit, demolishing the Australian Racing Bull with his front wing.

“F*** that guy!” Ricciardo then grunted and accused his teammate of focusing on the top of the curve and not him as the man in front.

For almost all experts and pilots, the case is clear: Stroll’s stupid mistake and therefore Canada’s mistake. The stewards also made a quick decision and gave Stroll a 10-second penalty.

Aston Martin team boss Mike Krack sees things differently. The management’s decision was “a very quick and very sharp decision, very quick,” said Krack on “Autosport”.

The rear-end collision was the result of a “chain reaction,” said Luxembourger. “I wish it had been looked at in more detail. We tried to discuss it, but the decision came quickly for Lance to be at fault. He received a 10-second penalty on his Damage to the front wing.”

Aston Martin team boss: Accidents like Stroll just happen

Krack did not accept Ricciardo’s criticism that Stroll only concentrated on the apex of the hairpin. “Such situations are caused at the front,” said the leading cars, which sometimes slowed down in many safety car phases. “You can always say be more careful. But if you’re too careful when you restart and lose more than a car length, everyone says: ‘Are you sleeping?’

Accidents like the one in China happen again and again during restarts on some tracks, said the Aston Martin team boss.