Aston Martin proved mantra with stunning comeback

Ewan Gale
Saturday 10 December 2022 16:30

Aston Martin team principal Mike Krack believes the Silverstone-based outfit's resurgence in the second half of the past F1 season proves "you should never give up".

With Sebastian Vettel missing the first two races through a Covid lay-off and the AMR22 lacking competitiveness, Lance Stroll and Nico Hülkenberg found themselves in a battle with Williams to avoid being at the foot of the constructors' championship.

When Alex Albon picked up a point in Australia, Aston Martin was left as the only team not to have scored in the first three races of the campaign.

But after a revised aerodynamic philosophy was introduced at the Spanish Grand Prix and further development through the season, results picked up, with points being secured in nine of the last 11 races.

That push almost saw Alfa Romeo overhauled in the race for sixth in the constructors' standings and despite ending the year level on points, Valtteri Bottas' fifth-place finish at Imola put the Hinwil-based team ahead.

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"It shows you should not give up," said Krack when addressing the turnaround.

"It is hard work, identifying where you have to work and trying to mitigate one weakness after the other.

"We have to be really - proud is not maybe the correct word - but we kept calm, we did not panic in that situation, although it was very, very difficult at the time.

"If you had told me in Melbourne we would be fighting for sixth [in the constructors'] by the end then probably we would not have believed it."