Aston Martin team principal Mike Krack is anticipating a difficult weekend at the Mexican Grand Prix. The Silverstone-based outfit have been on a downward trajectory this season.

“The expectation is that this is not going to be an easy weekend,” he said on Friday. “There are a lot of low-speed corners here which are not our forte. On the other hand, we’ve put a lot of work into our cooling performance so we should be able to cope with the altitude better than before and not have to open the bodywork up quite so much.

“It’s cooler this week than it was last week, which is a weather forecast that usually suits us, and sometimes when you’re braced for the worst, you get to do something good. We do need to be realistic and accept it will be a success to score points, and that the most important thing for us is maximise what we have and understanding the direction we want to take going forward.

“I always think that, in such situations, it is important to zoom out and look at the big picture. We are fifth in the championship and there’s a good chance to remain there. The learning is what matters at this stage in our development. Though, of course, I’d like us to be doing better, and we will. It will come.”