Vettel’s ex-team boss becomes new Aston Martin

(Motorsport-Total.com) – After Aston Martin announced its split from Ottmar Szafnauer at the start of the month, the Formula 1 team wasted little time in identifying a successor. Mike Crack was announced as the new team manager on Friday.

Crack has a career path similar to that of McLaren boss Andreas Seidl. Early in his career, he worked in Formula 1 for a decade, first at Sauber and then at BMW-Sauber, where he met Sebastian Vettel before. After that, Crack gained experience in other classes.

In 2009 he left the front row and worked in Formula 3 and DTM before moving to Porsche in 2012 for the World Endurance Championship and working with Seidl. In 2014 he returned to BMW as an engineer, most recently managing the brand’s global motorsport operations.

At Aston Martin, Crack will work under the supervision of team owner Lawrence Stroll and CEO Martin Whitmarsh, who was appointed late last year.

Crack is looking forward to seeing Vettel again

“Aston Martin is one of the biggest car brands in the world,” says Crack. “To be asked to play a leading role in achieving the successes that such a name deserves is a challenge that I accept with strength and enthusiasm.”

The new team boss is particularly looking forward to seeing Vettel again: “I’ve been in motorsport for over 20 years and worked with Seb Vettel in Formula 1 in 2006 and 2007 when I was an engineer at BMW-Sauber and he was the test driver team.”

“I have a lot of respect for his speed and ability and it would be great to work with him again. Lance Stroll is also a very fast and talented rider who has already participated in the 100 Grands Prix and I am really looking forward to finishing one with him.”

The team is “full of talented and real racers,” says Crack. “This culture and values ​​are a prerequisite for success in motorsport – I know that and my new teammates at Aston Martin know that too. We’ll work incredibly hard. We want to win. Together we’ll do it.”

Whitmarsh hailed the new signing as a “dynamic and modern team leader” who, along with the rest of the executive team and “our growing group of skilled and dedicated staff, will deliver the success of the Formula One World Championship that we at Aston Martin strive to achieve.”

‘The perfect choice for us’: Aston bosses rave

“Having held senior positions in motorsports at BMW and Porsche and his experience as a Formula 1 engineer at Sauber, Mike has the combination of experience and expertise that makes him the ideal choice for us.”

Team Owner Stroll adds: “To win in Formula 1, you have to combine the best qualities of all the key players, from drivers to engineers to mechanics. And Mike is well suited to do that.”

“We are hiring new brilliant people every week. Our new facility is doing very well. We have an impressive list of excellent sponsorship partners. We are about to start the second year of our five-year plan to award the Formula 1 World Championship win,” stresses Stroll.

“All the components we need come together now. Mike will have a central and leadership role, reporting to Martin Whitmarsh and leading our technical and operational functions. Because our common goal is to achieve these ambitious goals. We are on the right track.”