Aston Martin Team Principal Mike Krack has tempered expectations that his team may be in with a chance of winning the Monaco Grand Prix. The Aston Martin AMR23 has proved a competitive mount, especially in the hands of Fernando Alonso, who has taken four podium finishes from the first five races of 2023. The AMR23's biggest weakness appears to be its extra drag, which limits its top-end speed relative to other front-running cars. With Monaco one of the slowest circuits on the calendar, top speed is less important, and Alonso has previously suggested that the principality represents one of his best chances of a win in 2023. However, Krack sought to manage expectations, noting that other front-running teams had yet to race with a low-downforce setup. "It would be nice to say yes!" Krack told media, including RacingNews365.com , when asked if Aston Martin were racing for the win in Monaco. "We all have great hopes for Monaco. With our two drivers, we have a great car, in the simulator they were quite excited, but we must not forget the competition. "It is true that there are not so many straights here, but it's also true that we have not seen a Red Bull or Ferrari or Mercedes in a high-downforce configuration, because we did not have a maximum downforce track so far. "So it will be easy to say we going to be at the front, [but] I don't think it will be that easy."
Krack: We need to be on the first two rows
With overtaking at a premium around the tight and twisty Monaco circuit, Krack added that Saturday's qualifying session would carry increased importance. "We have to be 100% at all times, and you know how important qualifying is here," said Krack. "If you do not start on the first two rows, it will be really, really difficult to go for it, and this is the first thing to do, you have to go through practice, you have to go without mistakes through qualifying. "We need to [reach for] the stars, but keep our feet down and work hard, and we have to be 100 percent minimum to achieve good results this weekend. "If it is better than the three podiums we have already, we would love to take it, but it will be difficult."
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