After a mediocre 2023 and a similarly challenging start to the current season, Lance Stroll is often dismissed as a driver who bought his seat. His father, Lawrence, still wields the scepter at Aston Martin. Doubts about the 25-year-old driver’s abilities are resurfacing. However, teammate Alonso explains why we shouldn’t write off Lance Stroll just yet.
Four races into the current season, little seems to have changed within the Aston Martin garage. Fernando Alonso has repeatedly posed a threat to the top teams, while Lance Stroll has to fight for every championship point. With the ambitious plans of the English racing team – aiming to storm the championship with engine supplier Honda from 2026 – people in the paddock are wondering what Stroll still has to offer.
Alonso Defends Stroll
Teammate Alonso defends Lance Stroll in the run-up to the race weekend in China. “Lance and I help the team in different ways,” he explains. “He has a much better feel for certain things than I do. His analyses are therefore crucial for the team and help us improve the car. I’m less sensitive to that, I avoid certain problems and can extract 90 percent of the power from any car. But to get all the potential out, I need that help from a teammate.”
Alonso recently extended his contract with Aston Martin until 2026 and beyond. It is unknown how long Lance Stroll will last in Silverstone. If the team starts working with Honda, they could make a bid for the title. There are undoubtedly drivers who are eyeing Lance Stroll’s seat. He currently ranks tenth in the championship with 9 points, two places behind Alonso (24 points). In 2023, Aston Martin ended the year with a remarkable difference between the Spaniard (206 points) and the Canadian (74 points).
