Aston Martin’s deceptively simple strategy as McLaren battle reaches ends game

Aston Martin have a two-pronged plan of attack for the season finale, go “flat-out” and “do the best possible” as they attempt to snatch fourth place back from McLaren.

The surprise package in this season’s early races, Aston Martin’s fortunes have declined over the course of the campaign which had a notable impact on their position in the standings.

Overhauled by Mercedes and Ferrari, Aston Martin subsequently lost fourth to the much-improved McLaren at the United States Grand Prix.

Aston Martin trail McLaren by 11 points with 26 in play

They, however, were able to peg back the gap to 11 points in Las Vegas where Lance Stroll finished an impressive fifth having made up 10 places on the opening lap while Fernando Alonso recovered to ninth after an early spin.

With 26 points in play at the season finale, it’s not inconceivable to think Aston Martin could claw back fourth place, but it won’t be an easy task.

As such team boss Mike Krack is determined to keep it simple, just do the “best” they can do.

“For me, it doesn’t change anything, compared to two or three races ago,” he said. “We can only influence what we do ourselves.

“The first bit is we have to have a fast car in Abu Dhabi because we are behind. So it’s something that we are not on the defence, we have to go flat-out, and then we see.

“We have to do the best possible, and then we see what is the result.”

PlanetF1.com recommends

Fernando Alonso net worth: How one of F1’s highest-paid stars gives back to racing

Revealed: The F1 2023 World Championship standings without Red Bull

Aston Martin were ‘not lost’

Aston Martin’s decline led to suggestions, most notably from Lando Norris, that they lost their way in the development of the AMR23 with the McLaren driver saying they “made the car slower and slower” with every upgrade.

That saw the team put Alonso and Stroll on different specs at the United States Grand Prix before mixing and match for the Brazilian Grand Prix.

Krack, though, has denied they were “lost” although he does concede they are not “on top of everything”.

“We were not lost before,” he said. “I think it will be maybe arrogant to say we are on top of everything.

“I said it many times, the cars are very complex. I think there is a lot to learn still for us. So I will not say that we are on top of everything. But we have learned a lot this year.

“Everything that you learned, you have to take into the new car.”

And there’ll be more learning to do in Abu Dhabi.”Yes. It’s not completely final yet,” he said.

Read next: Huge financial implications and F1 careers on the line in Abu Dhabi finale