Krack dismisses Aston Martin concerns over Ben Sulayem investigation

Aston Martin boss Mike Krack considers the 2023 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix to be "closed" following the news of FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem being investigated.

A whistleblower has alleged that Ben Sulaye tried to interfere to get Fernando Alonso's in-race 10-second time penalty overturned.

Alonso had been hit with the sanction for incorrectly serving a five-second time penalty at his pit-stop when a jack touched the car after being found to be out of his grid box at the start.

The team successfully appealed the 10-second penalty which returned Alonso to the podium in third place, demoting Mercedes' George Russell back to the fourth he took on the road.

With the news that Ben Sulayem was being investigated, Krack was among the Team Principals asked about it - and delivered a clear repsonse.

"I think 12 months ago here, we were one of the involved parties," Krack told media including RacingNews365.

"It can be re-read in the Stewards' documents how the whole process was.

"We executed the right of review, we brought new evidence and the penalty was taken out.

"So from that point of view, for us, the whole matter is clear and closed."

Krack's fellow Team Principals Bruno Famin and James Vowles also offered their opinions on the matter, with Famin believing that every party in F1 had a "responsibility" to set an example.

"What we think is that we should really be able to focus on what happened on the track with our sport," said the Alpine boss.

"This is our responsibility to all of us, I think, promoter, regulator, teams, to be examples for all.

"There is an investigation at the FIA that I understand. They have their own process and they will follow the process.

"But it's up to all of us, I think, to show the exemplarity to all."

Williams chief Vowles added that "we should be judged not by the moment we're in now, but in the future, once we look back at that.

"I think for now, as far as I understand, it's in review, which is the right thing."