F1 | Lance Stroll wants to become a better driver

In 2023, Lance Stroll has fared poorly when it comes to comparisons with his new teammate Fernando Alonso at Aston Martin. Frustration was felt on a few occasions.

Wishing to do better during his eighth season in Formula 1, the Quebecer took the time to clear his mind during the winter break. He also took the opportunity to question how he could improve, whether mentally or physically.

“The F1 season is long and intense now. Winter vacation is an opportunity to start fresh. “Winter is always a good time to think about how you can become a better driver, approach race weekends better and improve your strengths and weaknesses,” Stroll explained in comments shared by the winter’s website. ‘Aston Martin.

“I stayed in really good shape over the winter – I’m always trying to improve my training – and spent time working on myself. It’s exciting to be back,” said the Mont-Tremblant driver.

A question of attitude

All the preparation in the world could, however, be insufficient against Alonso, the double world champion who has always left only crumbs for his teammates.

Driving a frisky Aston Martin, Alonso, 42, was on the podium six times in the opening eight races last season. In total, he achieved eight top 3 and totaled 206 points, finishing fourth in the drivers’ standings.

Meanwhile, Stroll’s best result was a fourth position. He amassed 74 points, at 10^e step. This is his best career ranking to date.

At the heart of a difficult sequence, the Quebecer was also caught by the cameras pushing his trainer Henry Howe while getting out of his car in Qatar. This gesture raised several questions about his state of mind.

“What stood out a lot was Lance Stroll’s level of motivation,” said driver and auto racing analyst Bertrand Godin. We felt a lot of frustration throughout the year. The comparison with Alonso made him look very bad. We absolutely need to be able to look forward and find a way to motivate ourselves. It’s very psychological.

“What I would like to see is a more surly Lance Stroll. (…) There is a change of attitude to be had,” added Godin.

“The question we have to ask ourselves is if he wants to be in F1,” asked Alex Tagliani. Does he have enough desire and interest to make the necessary sacrifices? »

Stroll’s difficulties in 2023 appear directly linked to the performance of his car.

After a dazzling start to the season for Aston Martin, which established itself as the second force in the field at the end of the first third of the season, the team experienced a long slump.

While Alonso managed as best he could to save the furniture by grabbing points in each race, Stroll experienced a real crossing of the desert. Then, at the end of the season, when the team established at Silverstone regained momentum, he returned to the forefront, with two fifth positions, in Brazil and in Las Vegas.

“We see a good pilot not when things are going well, but when things are going badly,” Godin argued. This is where we see how he is able to get out of trouble and the work he has to do. Some pilots will extract every last drop from the lemon, and others will give up and be marabouts.

“But it is not the time to be a marabout, it is the time to roll up our sleeves and find solutions,” he summarized.

A family story

Since Lance is the son of billionaire Lawrence Stroll, owner of the team that gave him a wheel, many say he only owes his place in F1 to his family.

However, Stroll has achieved some highlights during his career, such as his leading position in Turkey in 2020 on a drying track and his three podiums, the last of which dates back to the Sakhir Grand Prix in 2020.

“Already, most people are pretty unanimous in saying that Lance should change sports. I wouldn’t be ready to say that, because he is capable of good things,” said Godin.

“He has his place in F1, and he has some results under his belt that prove it,” added Tagliani.

The main person concerned has made peace with people’s opinions. Rather, he sees his father’s contribution, to his career in F1 and to his life in general, in a very positive way.

“Everyone has their opinion, but I answer on the track,” he began by saying.

“I had an incredible journey with my father in motorsport. From the days of karting, through the development categories and now in F1, what we have achieved together has been incredible. His vision and passion for the sport, for Aston Martin, is truly incredible. It’s super exciting to be a part of it and see how much we’ve already grown as a team over the last four years. And the future is even more exciting. »

The future begins this weekend with the Bahrain Grand Prix, held exceptionally on Saturday.

Stroll is already in better shape than last year since he started the first race of the season with broken wrists and a toe after a cycling accident in Spain.

“I think just by starting the season injury-free and avoiding some mechanical issues (which he suffered in 2023), it should be a better season for him,” Tagliani predicted.