Lance Stroll has not allowed himself to doubt despite his mid-season difficulties

Lance Stroll experienced numerous difficulties throughout 2023. While the start of the year had been encouraging, with an interesting first Grand Prix after returning from a wrist fracture, his performances quickly tarnished. In the first part of the year, Aston Martin proved to be a serious competitor for the constructors’ podium and above all, the team closest to Red Bull. Fernando Alonso achieved five podiums in six races, symbolizing the competitiveness of the British constructor.

However, Lance Stroll was not ranking very high in the standings during this period. Therefore, when Aston Martin’s performances deteriorated mid-season, the Canadian found himself in great trouble. It wasn’t a lot of fun for Fernando Alonso either. But his experience allowed him to stay in the championship race.

Learn to apprehend the car

After several tricky Grand Prix, Lance Stroll finally rebounded at the end of the year, with two 5th places in Brazil and Las Vegas. « I knew that if I felt comfortable and could drive the car freely, I would be at a good level and bring out the best in myself », explained the Aston Martin driver. « For a few months with the changes, there were weekends when I didn’t feel free in the car. The car was not behaving as I wanted it to. At this level, when you have these problems, it doesn’t work. And I think in those moments, you can’t doubt yourself. »

With development and improvement issues, Aston Martin failed to raise its level like its other competitors. The car has regularly shown itself to be unpredictable according to the two drivers. « This is F1, the drivers are all of a very high level, you can never be competitive if you are not comfortable and confident in your car and you are simply driving freely and it works », said Lance Stroll. « I think that’s my perception of it. »

Unfavorable racing facts

Lance Stroll has not been fortunate throughout the season. In addition to his personal difficulties in race pace, the Canadian has often been penalized by race incidents. « It has been a season with a lot of bad luck, a lot of missed opportunities », he testified. « I suppose it’s bad luck when I think about the breakdowns. We had races like Saudi Arabia, where we were in P4, engine problem, hitting debris in qualifications at Monaco, rear spoiler failure at Suzuka. At Zandvoort, we missed the pit stop when the rain fell. Sometimes, things turn much in your favor and sometimes, it does not always go your way. »

Despite these difficulties encountered, Lance Stroll finished the season with 74 points in the standings. A result that creates a mixed feeling in the driver who has experienced wide variations in his season. « It’s really a matter of taking one race at a time and accepting that it can sometimes be a roller coaster », said the son of the team owner. « It’s not always smooth sailing, it’s not always a straight line, I suppose that’s racing to some extent. »

The battle between teammates was largely won by Fernando Alonso, who scored 206 points during the 2023 championship, thus finishing at the foot of the podium.