Former racer Ralf Schumacher has once again strongly criticized Lance Stroll. The German describes the Canadian’s current form as ‘disastrous’ and advises Aston Martin to look for new drivers in the future. After all, a well-deserved retirement is looming for Fernando Alonso, who looks back on a season full of bad luck. If top designer Adrian Newey succeeds in developing a competitive car, Schumacher would prefer to see two new faces at Aston Martin.
Lance Stroll is often under fire. Many still see him as a so-called pay driver, a racer who owes his place in Formula 1 to his financial background. With his father – and billionaire – Lawrence Stroll as the team owner of Aston Martin, this is not a strange thought. On a sporting level, Stroll junior could not at all measure up to teammate Fernando Alonso this year. Since last year’s British GP, the Spaniard has consistently qualified ahead of the Canadian.
In the standings, Stroll is only eight World Championship points behind Alonso, but the two-time world champion had a season full of mishaps and retirements. He did not finish as many as five times. In 2026, Aston Martin hopes for a turnaround, with a car designed by Adrian Newey and an exclusive Honda engine. According to Ralf Schumacher, however, the drivers – especially Stroll – will then remain a problem.
‘Alonso’s Career is Nearing its End’
“Aston Martin is obviously looking for drivers,” he said in a podcast for Sky Sports. “The qualifying performances are zero against infinity, so what else is there to say? I know Aston Martin is very sensitive about this, but it’s simple: it’s disastrous.” Schumacher is careful with his words these days; he was previously boycotted by Aston Martin for making negative comments about Stroll. “I also say that qualifying is not Lance’s strongest point,” he added. “In the race, he can make his mark here and there, but if you’re consistently slower than Alonso – an exceptional talent, but at the end of his career – you have to be realistic.”
Although Schumacher thinks that Stroll could be a reasonable ‘number two’, the team would benefit in the long term from new acquisitions. “Honestly, Lance Stroll is not even the biggest problem at Aston Martin at the moment,” Schumacher continued. “The car is the problem. Stroll could remain a good number two, although that has everything to do with paternal pride,” he referred to Lawrence Stroll. “It’s his money, his team, so he calls the shots. But from an outside perspective, you probably need to attract two new drivers.”
