Krak: We don’t want people to become robots

Mike Krak, head of Aston Martin F1, spoke in an interview with his team’s press office about some key aspects of his job in terms of maintaining the right mood at the team.

Mike Krak: “Aston Martin F1 is growing and evolving rapidly and transforming into a larger and more competitive organization capable of competing in the leadership group. And we are not just talking about modernizing the infrastructure, increasing the budget and the number of employees. It is also important to rebuild psychologically.

It’s very easy to be a second-rate team. Our team has been like this for years and has shown good results despite limited resources. All the greater was the joy in those rare cases when it was possible to achieve real success. But all this is not so difficult if nothing is expected of you.

In contrast, the traditional winners, who have the hardest time because their work must meet the highest standards. We are trying to become one of those teams, although to be honest we still have a lot to do.

We did not finish in the top three in 2022, but last season we were on the podium 8 times. This gives the team confidence, but also creates expectations. And we must meet these expectations, get used to the increased attention and stay as focused as possible.

The mental attitude that defines winners starts with the leadership of the team, and I am willing to admit that I have to be an example to everyone. It’s important not to get too excited when things go well, and not to get too angry when things don’t work out. Moreover, the second is more important.

If the team sees me crawling to the side like a beaten dog, it will negatively affect morale. When something goes wrong, we must straighten our shoulders, lift our heads high and, with all our charisma, express the confidence that we can overcome and regain everything.

There are a lot of distractions in Formula 1 and it can be easy to lose concentration. For example, pit mechanics sitting in the garage watching the race create a very different atmosphere than if they were completely isolated from everything going on around them.

They will feel more pressure when our car comes into the pits and we are fighting for the podium than if we were in the middle of the second ten. Although ideally, regardless of the context, they should always be as focused as possible on the work at hand.

The same goes for everyone, including myself, who makes decisions on the pit wall. These decisions are influenced by the positions the drivers take on the track, influenced by emotions, and this is dangerous because you simply cannot concentrate when you are in a state of emotional arousal. It is very difficult to isolate yourself from this and make decisions calmly and coolly, although this often determines whether you win the race or not.

Experience is the best tool that will help you achieve success. The person who wins consistently is less nervous, experiences fewer emotions and is less distracted by external factors. But if this experience is lacking, the best thing to do is to recognize that different types of irritants exist and ensure that people can respond to them, but at the same time do everything possible so that the team learns to adapt quickly when it arises. comes to get started.

Therein lies the inevitable contradiction. We want people to be as focused as possible, so that they can carry out their tasks calmly and without emotion. But at the same time, we want the team to consist of people who are passionate, committed and work with the right attitude.

We don’t want people to become robots. If 22 robots work at a pit stop, who benefits? This will not please both the fans and our technicians, who experience an adrenaline rush when it works well. Ultimately, Formula 1 is a sport and it should be something that people can enjoy. Although finding the right balance is not that easy: on the one hand you want passion to boil, on the other hand, if you have to complete a task efficiently, you need to be able to detach yourself from emotions.”