The season-opening 2022 Bahrain Grand Prix really wasn’t a good day for the Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant Formula One Team. Chief among those problems that plagued Team Silverstone was a car that had numerous technical issues. Drivers Lance Stroll and Nico Hulkenberg (deputising for Sebastian Vettel, who had to sit on the sidelines after a positive COVID test) had to work around those issues and, whilst they both finished near the back of the grid, the team is still taking some positives out of the weekend.
Team Principal Mike Krack, who replaced the departing Otmar Szafnauer just before the start of the season, explained the difficulties his drivers had. “Both our drivers were required to lift and coast at various points during today’s race, but they did it proficiently and we were therefore able to bring both cars to the finish.“
“A P12/P17 result is not what we wanted, of course not, but it was always going to be hard to achieve a strong finish from our starting positions,” he continued. “Nonetheless, Lance drove well to convert his P19 grid slot to P12 at flag-fall, and, having not raced in Formula One since November 2020 [the Eifel Grand Prix at Nürburgring], Nico also did a good job today.”
Whilst Aston Martin’s Bahrain outing was dismal and Krack is willing to admit that, he is hopeful that things will be better as the season goes on. “Our car currently lacks pace – clearly – but we will endeavour to put up a better show in Saudi Arabia in a few days’ time.” That “better show” is something that the team, drivers and fans will be hoping arrives sooner rather than later.
