Author: Barkha Roy
Aston Martin faced a moment of uncertainty during the race in Montreal, when Fernando Alonso held off Lewis Hamilton for second place. The team instructed Alonso to start lifting and slowing down without providing an explanation, raising questions among TV broadcasters and rival teams. After the race, Aston Martin team principal Mike Krack clarified the situation, revealing that the decision was motivated by a suspected problem with the fuel system. However, it turned out to be a false alarm.
“We thought we had a problem with the fuel system, but we weren’t sure, so as a precaution we said it was best to save fuel and do lift and coast,” explained Krack. Pressed for more details, Krack refused to reveal the specific nature of the erroneous referral, stating that they thought they had a problem that didn’t materialize.
By implementing the “lift and coast” strategy, Alonso sacrificed his lap time, but secured his sixth podium of the season. Krack admitted that it was difficult to assess the cost of his decision, estimating that it may have resulted in a loss of a few tenths of a second. However, Aston Martin prioritized the safe conclusion of the race over taking unnecessary risks.
The vague instructions given to Alonso, speculated by the driver himself as a way of avoiding excessive worry, provoked speculation among broadcasters and rival teams about the underlying problem. In a surprising twist, Mercedes informed Hamilton during the race that Alonso might be having brake problems, which raised eyebrows at the Aston Martin pitwall. Krack humorously commented that they were surprised by the comments, suggesting that Mercedes seemed to have more knowledge about their car than they did.
In the end, Alonso secured second place, with Hamilton completing the podium behind race winner Max Verstappen. Hamilton acknowledged that Aston Martin had been one step ahead of Mercedes all weekend, attributing their advantage to the new side bodywork and revised floor of the AMR23. He admitted that his difficulties in low-speed corners, especially with traction, contributed to his inability to match the pace of Alonso and Verstappen.
Hamilton remained optimistic, expressing confidence in Mercedes’ ability to improve rear downforce and overall efficiency. He believed that the team’s performance was gradually improving and that they were heading in the right direction. Although Verstappen had a comfortable lead, Hamilton felt that the team’s pace was closer to Aston Martin’s during the race.