“We will have to deliver more”: Aston Martin boss reveals Lawrence Stroll pushing for more than just podium finishes

Three races into the 2023 season, Aston Martin have emerged as the front-runner, beating the likes of Mercedes and Ferrari. Despite a strong start to the season, team principal Mike Krack has admitted that expectations remain high for the rest of the year.

Fernando Alonso has championed Aston Martin's rise to the front with three podium finishes in his first three starts for the team. After a stellar start to the season, the Silverstone outfit is now eyeing the top step of the podium.

Mike Krack revealed the ambitious goals of team owner Lawrence Stroll, who is keen on winning a race. In an interview after the Australian GP, Krack said:

"The mission is very clear. [Lawrence Stroll] has not been having any delay in telling us, ‘When are we going to win the next one?’. Obviously, he is happy we have made a step, but this is not enough for this ambition."

He continued:

"The good thing is, with Lawrence, you know where you stand – he wants more, and we will have to deliver more. [2023 has started with] three circuits with three different characteristics. To be competitive on all three, we are confident we can be on other circuits as well."

Entering the 2023 season, Aston Martin jumped its rivals from being a mid-field contender to a front-runner. Having made the jump, the team finds itself in unchartered territory, as it has never been a frequent podium contender.

With podium finishes under its belt, the Silverstone outfit is now focused on clawing the deficit to Red Bull. The team has an aggressive upgrade strategy lined up for the rest of the season to fight the mighty RB19.

Aston Martin has inherent advantages compared to other front-runners, as it has more resources to develop the AMR23. While Red Bull suffers from ATR restrictions, Mercedes and Ferrari are now beginning to question their respective design philosophy. This allows the British team to out-develop their rivals, which might culminate in a race win for the team in the latter stages of the season.

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Aston Martin team principal eyeing on this track for a potential win

Aston Martin team principal Mike Krack has revealed two tracks where he expects the team to have an advantage. Krack identified Monaco and Barcelona as two tracks where the car's strengths could play into their hands.

In an interview with DAZN, he said:

"I think there are some tracks where the combination of this driver with this car may still be more magical, Monaco, Barcelona...We have deficiencies on very long straights, it's no secret. We have seen it and we have to work on it a lot."

F1 Grand Prix of Australia

While the AMR23 produces high downforce, it produces a lot of drag on the straights, affecting its straight-line speed. This is where the team lags behind Red Bull, which has produced a very aero-efficient car.

Thus, the team is looking forward to tracks where straight-line speed doesn't affect lap time.