Stroll hailed as miserable F1 run ends

Aston Martin Team Principal Mike Krack has praised Lance Stroll's performance at the United States Grand Prix.

Stroll started the race from the pit lane as Aston Martin opted to take both of its cars out of parc ferme conditions to make changes for the race.

The Silverstone-based squad endured a difficult qualifying session on Friday as it suffered a double-Q1 exit for the first time this year.

Stroll was running an upgraded Aston Martin car and rose to ninth place at the chequered flag - however he was promoted to ninth when Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc were disqualified for technical infringements.

It marked the Canadian driver's first points since the Belgian Grand Prix before the summer break.

“I'm really happy for Lance,” Krack told media including RacingNews365.com “I'm really, really happy. The team is as well.

“We all wished him to have a [good] result. To come from the from the pit lane, and finish just behind Gasly, one lap more we would have been able to pass.

“But all in all, I think he drove a really strong race. All these things, the tyres, he was just really on it. I'm really happy about it.”

'It was the right decision'

Stroll's team-mate Fernando Alonso was enjoying a similarly positive race after switching the the old spec car for the race.

However, the two-time World Champion was forced to retire from the race after picking up floor damage.

Despite the decision to make changes to the car ahead of the race working in the team's favour, Krack asserts that it was a big risk to take at the time.

“We didn't know that though when we took the decision,” he said regarding the decision paying off.

“You have to weigh carefully. And one of the things that it does is it will be very difficult to score if you start from the pit lane, especially with the pace that we had [during the Sprint].

“But obviously, now we know that was the right decision.”