Team Principal Mike Krack shares his views on 2024, the year ahead, a good result in Qatar, our targets at Yas Marina and a personal thank you to our fans who give us the energy and enthusiasm to keep pushing.
Engines at the Bahrain International Circuit fired-up for the pre-season test on 21 February 2024. It feels like we've come a very long way over the intervening 10 months, to end up more or less where we started, surrounded by the warm waters of the Gulf for the season finale on Yas Island, home of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
In his final pre-race column of 2024, Team Principal Mike Krack takes stock of the season just ending and the year to come, and discusses an exciting race in Qatar and clear targets for the weekend ahead. He's also got a few things to say about our race drivers, reserve drivers and junior drivers, and a word of thanks to you – our fans.
This is Mike on…
A good result in Qatar
"After four races without scoring, it was a relief to get back into the points at Lusail. It's a little reward for a lot of hard work, and that goes beyond the drivers, those of us on the pitwall and the mechanics. It includes all of the team members putting in long, long hours doing setup, build, hospitality, commercial and also those back at Silverstone, going into the AMR Technology Campus at all hours of the day or night, to provide whatever support they can.
"Fernando's seventh-place finish put a welcome smile on a lot of faces and it makes this weekend in Abu Dhabi a little easier. Everything is just that little bit more straightforward when you've scored at the previous race."
Contrasting fortunes
"Fernando was quite happy with his result. He's well aware that he's perfectly capable of delivering if an opportunity presents itself, but it's still a nice feeling when it happens. Qatar was one of those races that illustrates how important it is to maximise everything. The race had many incidents: being there at the very end was the thing that mattered.
"It was a shame that Lance couldn't take the chequered flag as well. He'd been on the same pace as Fernando all through the weekend. A big snap of oversteer in Qualifying left him in a tough position for the race and he was one of the early casualties of a first lap racing incident."
Targets
"The most important target this weekend is securing P5 in the Constructors' Championship. We go into the final race of the season with a 33-point advantage over Alpine – but we have seen very unpredictable races this season. For this reason, but also because it's the right way to end the year, our goal at Yas Marina is to maximise everything: we must be there in Qualifying; be there in the race; execute our plan well; make the right strategy calls.
"This is another thing that was pleasing in Qatar: our execution was very strong, particularly on pitstops. We've made great improvements in those over the last couple of years, both in terms of performance and also in terms of consistency. Actually, the primary target is consistency. Once you have that, the performance follows, but also, with good consistency, strategy becomes easier, the team can take less margin around the stops, and everything improves."
The highlight
"We want to finish the season on a high – every team does. It pushes you on into the off-season with just that little bit of extra energy and impetus. If I could express a personal wish, however, it would be fantastic to have both drivers in the points at this final race, just to finish a tough season in the right way.
"It's the time of year when, as a Team Principal, you get asked for the highlights and lowlights of the season. For me, the highlight is our drivers. They've dealt with a difficult situation all year, trying to get more out of the machine than it can deliver. Qualifying in Qatar was a familiar example: both drivers were right on the edge: Fernando had two laps deleted for running wide and Lance had a big snap of oversteer in Q2. It shows how much they're pushing.
"How they have handled that this year should be applauded. During internal meetings, there have been some hard conversations – that's completely normal – but in public they have supported the team, stuck by us, resisted the temptation to make their own lives easier. That's hugely to their credit."
The lowlight
"I think perhaps the same as at this point last year: we have not managed to significantly improve the car across the season. It's disappointing but it's also a key learning point. It's something we're discussing a lot at the moment: why is this the case? How are we going to tackle it? What changes do we have to make in our approach? Do we need to make changes to our structure?
"Certainly, we cannot afford to keep going like this, and nor can we ignore what has happened. It is something we have to improve going forward.
"It isn't all doom and gloom: this year, as was the case in 2023, the launch car was strong. The issue is what happened in-season: the objective was to close the gap to the teams in front and that didn't happen. In fact, we lost some ground to the teams behind, and now, we're in the middle of the midfield. It demonstrates that other teams have done a better job. There are no excuses – and no attempts to make any."
Jak, Tina and Felipe
"Nothing makes you think about the future as much as the younger members of the team. Jak Crawford and Tina Hausmann were both in action in Qatar. For Tina, it's a real shame that the second race at Lusail was cancelled, with the barriers being repaired. Happily, they get that race back this weekend. It's going to be a busy one for the F1 Academy with three races but as I've always said, it's time on track that's vital. You have to make sure you finish the races and maximise the opportunities open to you. I'll make sure I'm on the grid this weekend to offer my support.
"The same is true for Jak. He had a good Sprint in Qatar but a clash in the Feature Race put him out. It's going to make it tough for him to improve on P5 in the table, but we'll all be willing him on. Again, it's the same advice: finish the races, maximise the results. The role model is Fernando because he learnt this very early in his career. Avoid the accidents, finish the races, even if it means giving up a position at the start. The good news for Jak is that he'll have an opportunity to drive the AMR24 in the test on Tuesday.
"He'll do that alongside Felipe Drugovich, who will be doing both the test – using the 2025 Pirellis – and the FP1 session ahead of the Grand Prix. It's going to be a good combination for Felipe and useful for us, with the only thing changing between Friday and Tuesday being the specification of tyre.
"The programme we have for Felipe is packed. He won't be bored, but he'll definitely be tired when it's done. He's completed more than 8,000km behind the wheel of an F1 car and we'll try to get him through the 9,000km mark before heading home from Yas Marina. It's an impressive amount of mileage, but he's a reliable, robust and quick driver who can execute whatever plan we give him."
The year ahead
"As well as looking back, this is the time of year you're also invited to look forward. 2025 promises to be an interesting season. It's an unusual year in that it's the final season of these regulations, with attention split between preparing well for 2026 and doing well in the season that's in front of us. We have all the tools in place to have a successful year and I'm looking forward to working with the people who are joining us, getting their input and improving as a team."
Your support
"I've talked a lot about our team, but my final word has to be about you – our fans. Thank you for all of the support this year. It's been lovely to see everyone in green, to read the banners in the grandstands, receive the messages and generally feel like we're part of something bigger than ourselves. The support has been appreciated especially when it's been tough. Massive thanks from me for your faith. Stick with us! We're still evolving, still building the team and the journey is far from over."
The sun sets on the seasonThe sun sets on the season
DISCOVER MORERelated content
The Debrief by Aramco: Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
Read Now
Around the world in 24 races: Abu Dhabi
Read Now
Felipe Drugovich to participate in Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Free Practice One and end-of-season test
Read Now
Jak Crawford to drive AMR24 in Abu Dhabi Young Driver Test
Read Now
UNDERCUT | Mike Krack: "This year has made us closer as a team"
Read Now
"The biggest part of the puzzle" – 13 quotes to take from Adrian Newey's reveal
Read Now
Mike on... the Qatar Grand Prix
Read Now
Mike on... the Las Vegas Grand Prix
Read Now
Mike on... the São Paulo Grand Prix
Read Now
Mike on... the Mexico City Grand Prix
Read NowI / AM membership
The ultimate fan experience.
Get closer to the team with unparalleled access, behind-the-scenes insights and once-in-a-lifetime experiences, and enjoy exclusive competitions, rewards, offers and more.
