Shock crisis
The American weekend in Miami, arriving after more than a month of stop, did not bring good news to Aston Martin. The Silverstone team arrived in Florida without any updates to the disastrous AMR26, unlike almost the entire rest of the grid, which instead proposed many technical novelties. The technical crisis of the team owned by Lawrence Stroll – who on the eve of this year was considered a possible favorite for the top positions – instead caused the team to plummet to the back of the group, battling with the debutant Cadillac.
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Perhaps the most fitting comment to define this situation was given by former driver and 1992 world champion Nigel Mansell, interviewed by the site AceOdds.com. The British champion described the crisis Aston Martin found itself in as “a shock,” pointing the finger both at the Silverstone team and at the Japanese from Honda, judged “naive” in the way they faced this huge regulatory revolution.
Mansell’s analysis
“I believe the entire racing world is in shock; in short, let’s say it clearly, everyone thought, myself included, that Aston Martin would be among the protagonists this year – Mansell observed – and then to have – I say it literally and I think the word is quite correct to use – the catastrophic challenges they face and to hear the kind of things the drivers are forced to endure like vibrations, possible nerve damage and everything else is almost unheard of and worrying. I really hope for them that they can quickly overcome some of these difficulties, but from what I understand, it won’t be a quick thing”.
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“Honda and Aston Martin naive? Yes, I think it’s a bit naive for an engine manufacturer to believe they can enter the game about a year late compared to everyone else and think they can be competitive – observed the former Williams legend – from what I’ve been told many of the previous engineers were assigned to different projects, because they started late with this new project and so they started again with a completely new team and it will be very difficult for them. But if they have the tenacity and patience needed, they will make it. Meanwhile, it’s a disappointment and, as a great racing enthusiast, I am very sorry and very disappointed for them and for the fans to see the difficulties they are facing”.
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