Aston Martin F1 boss makes surprise Stroll statement after tantrum

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Aston Martin F1 boss makes surprise Stroll statement after tantrum

The driver has come under fire after his emotions boiled over in Qatar

Dan Davis

Sunday 15 October 2023 17:57

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Aston Martin team principal Mike Krack believes Formula 1 drivers should be given "more respect" after Lance Stroll's outburst in Qatar.

Stroll apologised to the FIA, the sport's governing body, following qualifying at the Losail International Circuit, having pushed his trainer in an apparent fit of rage.

The under-fire Canadian driver was seen throwing his steering wheel out of his car and then shoving a colleague after qualifying in a lowly 16th place.

During his round of interviews, Stroll delivered short answers before storming off.

An investigation was then launched by the FIA's compliance officer with Stroll issued an official warning, though Krack believes some sympathy is in order.

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Lance Stroll shoved his trainer after qualifying in Qatar

The under-fire driver is enduring a nightmare season

Mike Krack believes drivers should be extended more respect under pressure

Krack: 'We need to be careful'

"The thing is, you accumulate [when] delivering below your own expectations, and then frustration comes out at one point," he told the media.

"I said [on Saturday], you take a football player that is taken off the pitch - he doesn't want to high five to the manager or he throws the jersey or he throws the water bottles, we have seen that quite a lot.

"And to be honest, I always try to delay this as much as possible to just try and get rid of the adrenaline.

"But I'm sure we run maybe 10 to 20 times less adrenaline on the pit wall than the drivers do but you put the microphone straight away in front of them or you gauge every reaction that they do.

"So I think emotions are what we want from sportsmen. If they react we judge them quickly - is this right? Is this wrong? I think we need to be careful with that.

"We want to see it because then we'll have something to talk about. When it goes one step too far, then people like to sit down on the sofa or in an air conditioning room and say 'this is too much' or 'you cannot do that'.

"I think we need to have a bit more respect for the drivers and high elite sportsmen I would say."