Aston Martin team principal Mike Krack has hailed the maturity and harmony of the relationship between drivers Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll following the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
It was clear following two-time F1 champion Alonso’s arrival at the team that he and Stroll already held a strong bond, one that has since been cemented over the first few races of the season.
That unity was firmly in evidence around the Baku Street Circuit as Stroll initially made clear over the team radio he would not attack Alonso despite possessing the DRS opportunity to do so.
In return a few laps later, Alonso highlighted a brake balance that was working on his AMR23 and suggested Stroll follow suit.
Asked by Speedcafe whether such messages were a hallmark of the relationship his drivers have, Krack said: “It’s fantastic to see.
“It shows the maturity of Lance and Fernando, the way they work together, the way they also act with each other.
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“And they have also clearly understood that our opponents are not green-car related but are others.
“If we can manage to keep this harmony between the two, pushing each other but also helping each other when it matters, it will only benefit us in the long run.”
Suggested to Krack that Alonso was playing the role of big brother, he added: “Yeah, but Lance is not a little brother. For me, they are both equal.
“There are many times when Fernando looks at what Lance is doing and vice versa, so I think they are proper team-mates.
“So not big brother little brother. You can say older brother and younger brother.”
Alonso to help Stroll “for the next few years”
From the perspective of 41-year-old Alonso, he sees no reason why he and Stroll should not help one another that will, in turn, help the team.
“We talk a lot during the weekend from Friday, already from Thursday, what we have both felt in the past, also in the strategy meeting, what we will do, what will be the plan for each of the cars and things like that,” said Alonso, whose run of three successive podiums was ended with a fourth place in Baku.
“So if we feel something in the car during the race that we didn’t speak about and there is something new that can help the other car, normally we communicate with the team. It has (always) been like this.
“I know that I will be in the sport for a few more years – not many – and he will lead the team for the next 10 or 15 years, so I hope I can help Lance as much as I can in the next few years.”
As to whether he had previously enjoyed such a healthy relationship with a team-mate, Alonso replied: “Yeah, I had in the past but only some of my radio (messages) were broadcast.
“Now this one, so for whatever reason everyone is kind to me.”
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