A challenging weekend in Imola but straight back on track for the Monaco Grand Prix where we're celebrating what it means to be An Original with our partner Valvoline. Plenty for Team Principal Mike Krack to discuss this week.
The European leg of the World Championship doesn't build up slowly, we're straight into the thick of it with back-to-back races in Imola and now Monaco.
Last weekend in Imola was challenging, but there are positives to take: we learnt a lot about our new updates, continued our point-scoring run in every Grand Prix this season and, following Fernando's off in Saturday Free Practice, saw another example of the team doing a great job under pressure to get him back out on track in time for Qualifying. Speaking of pressure, did we mention Monaco?
This is Mike on…
Difficulties in Emilia-Romagna
"It was a challenging weekend in Imola, and the aftermath won't be straightforward either. What message do I want to share about the updates? Honestly, it didn't deliver everything that we wanted it to deliver. It hasn't been a straightforward process of simply fitting the new parts and seeing the performance as we had wished for.
"Encouragingly, we can see glimpses of performance under certain conditions, which shows us the potential. What we need to do now is figure out how to maximise this across different conditions. As Lance and Fernando have said, we need to improve the balance of the AMR24."
Lots to love at the Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari
"If you can forget about the result – and no, I really can't – then Imola was wonderful last weekend. There were just so many people there. On race day, I was at the track for 09:00 and it was already full, six hours before the Grand Prix. The grandstands were packed, the terraced seating on the hill above Rivazza was full. Passionate. Loud. Terrific.
"We talk about getting energy from the fans. I'll admit that, when I was younger, I didn't really buy into it. I do now. I was reflecting on this after the fan forum last weekend: there were fans there in our green teamwear, having a really good time and, yes, it absolutely gives you a lift. We – as teams – make fans happy, and if you, our fans, our happy, we're happy. Support like that gives us a lot of energy."
Rebuild
"Another positive was how we managed to build a new car for Qualifying from a damaged car, in only two hours and 15 minutes. That's only possible with excellent teamwork, real skill and a lot of effort pre-race by the build group that usually goes unnoticed. At one point 14 mechanics were working on the car – which is just about as many mechanics as you can fit around it – from both sides of the garage.
"What lets you do that is preparation. You have new corner assemblies ready to go. You undo the track-rods, remove the damaged corner and attach the new one. Fit and forget. I'm making it sound easier than it is – but it's only possible because the new assembly has been prepared perfectly back at the factory and double checked at the track. Usually, nobody notices all of that hard work, it's the definition of a thankless task because the new assembly simply sits in a flight case – but at moments like that, you see the excellence that goes on in the background. Phenomenal effort."
Valuable points
"Sadly, the hard work didn't result in a fairytale starting position for Fernando. And given how difficult overtaking is in Imola, he didn't have much to race for – but our strategy was good, and Fernando took one for the team, clearing the path for Lance. His early stop dragged everybody in, which allowed Lance to continue without traffic.
"Lance was quick in the clean air, had fresh tyres when others didn't and brought home two valuable points. Lance really made the best out of it. He drove really well with the limitations the car had, kept his head down, had clean overtakes and did a very good job."
Confidence… and walls
"Over the next few races, we have to get a further understanding of our updates. Monaco isn't the best place to experiment, but we will still get more learnings.
"I don't have to tell Fernando or Lance how to drive in Monaco, they've got plenty of experience here and our job is to give them a car with which they can extract performance. That means a car that is predictable, with which they can gain confidence. To do this, they need to have laps. They need to get close to the walls to be quick in Monaco, and you can't get close to the walls after just one lap. You need to build this confidence lap by lap, by lap, by lap in a car that's repeatable. What we'll try to do is give them a consistent and balanced car, get the laps in, gain the confidence to run close to the walls."
The most thrilling – and stressful – Qualifying of the season
"In Monaco it is, as everyone knows, almost impossible to pass – which places a huge emphasis on Qualifying. A Quali lap in Monaco is super-thrilling for fans to watch, knowing the drivers are absolutely flat out, pushing it as hard as they can, right up against the barriers. It's pretty stressful for the team!
"There's a lot of stress for the strategy group who are responsible for traffic management. With the new rules about minimum lap times and not being able to pass in the pitlane, it's nerve-wracking. On the pitwall, you know that any contact with the wall is likely to put you out and make scoring points on Sunday very difficult.
"Q1 is the most challenging because you have 20 cars on a 3km track trying to find a gap that isn't necessarily there. It's a lottery as well: you can have the car perfect, and the driver right on it – but if there's a crash in front of you, and you're just in the wrong place at the wrong time with the flags, well, that can be game over too. There are fewer things you can control, and you just have to give into that and let it happen."
Fernando's lid
"Finally, something I'm enjoying this weekend is the design of Fernando's Valvoline-themed helmet. Ever since I first saw the pictures a couple of months ago, I've been thinking it's very, very cool.
"For me, it's the image of Al Unser Jr driving a Valvoline-branded IndyCar that does it. It's one of those iconic sponsors that have always been involved with motorsport and have a real racing heritage. Obviously, they are our partner and supply a lot of lubricants and greases, and new products seem to be arriving in the garage all the time – but this helmet really captures the imagination. It's stunning.
"This week, we've been celebrating what it means to be An Original with Valvoline, shining a light on team members who are always striving for better, always pushing the boundaries, always doing things differently. The Monaco Grand Prix will be no exception, we'll be giving it everything on the streets of the principality."
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