Aston Martin’s top executive, Mike Krack, reveals more details about Fernando Alonso‘s muscle injury. According to the current Chief Trackside Officer, the team hopes to extend the Spaniard’s recovery time by his absence during the first free practice in Hungary. The plan is to have Alonso back in the AMR25 for the second free practice at the Hungaroring.
Aston Martin announced on Friday morning that Fernando Alonso would be sidelined for the first free practice in Hungary. The Spaniard has been struggling with a muscle injury in his back since the Belgian GP. Reserve driver Felipe Drugovich took over Alonso’s duties during the first hour of practice at the Hungaroring, but the plan is to have the two-time world champion back behind the wheel of the AMR25 in the afternoon.
“Fernando developed a minor muscle problem after Spa,” Aston Martin’s top executive Mike Krack reveals on Friday morning in Hungary. “With how busy our calendar is, there is never enough recovery time. There is sometimes not even enough time to sleep, because you have to travel, so I think that’s the problem. That’s why we chose to extend his recovery time by skipping FP1, which is usually the least important session. The plan is for Fernando to be back in the car from FP2 onwards.”
Second Free Practice
The second free practice at the Hungaroring starts at five o’clock, extending Alonso’s recovery time by only a few hours. Does Krack think that will be enough for the Spaniard? “I don’t think it’s about the hours, it’s probably more about the lower number of laps (that Alonso is now driving) than the duration. We have, of course, also made some adjustments to his seating position. We checked some things yesterday to make it more comfortable for him, and we are quite sure that it will be fine.” The current Chief Trackside Officer does not expect the seventy laps of the Hungarian GP on Sunday to be a problem.
Additionally, it’s a bonus for Aston Martin that Felipe Drugovich was able to step into the Spaniard’s car so easily. “Switching drivers is quite easy,” Krack also explains. “Especially since they are of similar height. Even when it comes to driving, Felipe is very reliable. He follows the same program as Fernando would. After that, we’ll see how we proceed.”
