Aston Martin offer theory for pain-hit Fernando Alonso 'pressure point'

Aston Martin chief trackside officer Mike Krack has suggested a possible explanation for Fernando Alonso’s pain-induced retirement from the Canadian Grand Prix, following an issue with his seat.

The two-time champion retired at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve due to back pain, with Krack revealing that his seat was pushing against a "pressure point".

Alonso’s decision to retire only came once it became clear that rain would not fall, ending Aston Martin's chances of a strong result.

Had he been fighting towards the front, Alonso would likely have pushed through the pain to finish the race, something he had no need to risk while running towards the back of the field.

The veteran has suffered from back-related pain for some time, with the Montreal flare-up believed to have been caused by his seat in the AMR26.

According to Krack, the Silverstone-based team has a theory that it may have lowered the driving position too much, with drivers now sitting almost in a fully reclined position in the cockpit.

Asked what the issue was with Alonso's seat, Krack told select media including RacingNews365: "He has been uncomfortable for a while, and never to the point where it was really a showstopper, but it's like a pressure point where you feel it gets worse and worse. 

"I think we need to reconsider a little bit the positioning of the seat. You try with these cars to be as low as you can. 

"When you look at how the drivers used to sit over the last few years, it goes more and more into a lying position, and we need to check whether we may have gone a step too far. 

"But it's something we need to check."