Here to stay. Other drivers are currently in a bitter contract battle in Formula 1. See Sergio Perez, Kevin Magnussen or Logan Sargeant. Lance Stroll does not have to deal with this annoying issue. If the Canadian wants to continue, he will continue. Despite constant criticism from outside. Anyone who hopes that Stroll has gradually had enough of the premier class is out of luck. The Aston Martin driver has committed his future entirely to Formula 1. The positive development of the team and his ambition are what drive the 25-year-old.
“It’s incredible to see how far we’ve come as a team in the last five years,” said Stroll. “We’ve grown a lot as a team since we were still racing in pink. We’ve got a very exciting wind tunnel that’s being built right now. We’ve got an incredible facility that’s now at Silverstone that we moved into last year. There are a lot of pieces of that puzzle that are now falling into place.”
Near the Silverstone track, Lawrence Stroll built a campus for Aston Martin on 37,000 square meters. It is the first completely new F1 factory in 20 years. The team was able to move in last year, and the wind tunnel is scheduled to be completely finished by the end of 2024. In addition to the new factory, the staff will also contribute to the development. “In addition to the talented people who have been at Silverstone for many years, many new talented people have joined and are still joining, which makes this project very exciting,” said Lance Stroll.
The Canadian is not thinking about quitting. “I am definitely here for the future,” he emphasises. “I have committed myself to this project. We have developed from a team that had around 400 employees in 2018 to a team that now has over 1,000 people. Silverstone looks very different now than it did 18 months ago. I have definitely committed myself and am happy to be part of this project.”
Lance Stroll: I am the most ambitious person I know
Even without contractual pressure or the danger of being kicked out of Formula 1, performance is very important to Stroll. He is his own biggest critic. “I am the most ambitious person I know,” says the Canadian. A strong statement for someone who competes in the F1 field.
“I’m someone who likes to see myself performing well,” Stroll continued. “It feels good, even when times are tough. Getting a few points in Imola was nice. I still enjoy it. And on a day when things aren’t going well, I’m the first person to criticise me. These feelings drive me to keep going and push.”
Stroll also wants to continue, although 2024 has not been a particularly good year for Aston Martin so far. The balance of the car is causing problems for the team and the major update in Imola did not bring the hoped-for improvement. Nevertheless, the Canadian driver sees the positive sides and a lot of potential.
“It’s fun to be part of this journey and this project and see all the elements come together at Silverstone,” says Stroll. “Last year we started the season really strongly and that was a very big step forward for us. We then had a bit of a dip and this year has been a bit more challenging so far. But I still see a lot of positives and excitement at Silverstone, which makes me feel positive and excited.”
In Monaco, however, Aston Martin experienced the first F1 weekend of 2024 without any points. Strange scenario: Fernando Alonso mistakenly celebrated the zero number. Here is the story: Aston Martin without a point for the first time: Alonso celebrates falsely