Aston Martin praises pace but cites Interlagos reliability issues

Aston Martin chief trackside officer Mike Krack said the AMR26 was more competitive at the São Paulo Grand Prix, particularly in the difficult conditions seen in qualifying and the race. Fernando Alonso started eighth and finished 12th, while Lance Stroll retired, marking his 13th retirement in 20 rounds this season.

Krack said the team had beaten some competitors that were faster on paper, and described the weekend as one of its most competitive of the year. However, Aston Martin has suffered three retirements from six starts across the most recent triple-header, which Krack said the team needs to address.

Krack acknowledged that reliability issues linked to the Honda power unit remain a concern for the team.