Aston Martin Team Principal Wishes 2023 Season Was Longer So Stroll Could Show What He's Got

Thursday, 04 January 2024 at 06:00

Lance Stroll finished the 2023 tenth in the Drivers' Championship, but his team principal believes he could show more if the season were longer.

All of Aston Martin's podiums in 2023 have been achieved by Fernando Alonso, who beat his teammate Lance Stroll by 130 points in the Drivers' Championship.

The 2023 season wasn't the strongest for the Canadian driver, which he admitted, as he attributed a lot of it to bad luck. On the other hand, Stroll's performances started improving towards the end of the season.

Asked what Stroll needs to do moving forward after an unsuccessful season like 2023, his team principal Mike Krack replied on Aston Martin's website:

"Lance is in a great place. He's relaxed and self-confident. You can see it in his body language. It's very impressive how he has developed as a driver this year."

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Lance Stroll had a hand injury before the start of the season, and for a while, it didn't seem like he would be able to attend the first race. However, he managed to overcome pain and showed what he's made of.

"He had the injury pre-season, which put him on the back foot, but he showed real grit and determination to get back behind the wheel as quickly as possible. And, despite all he had been through, he was still very fast."

After Aston Martin lost its advantage over rival teams like Mercedes, Ferrari, and McLaren, Stroll fell back with a series of unsuccessful weekends. The team principal said the driver had to deal with immense pressure.

"Then, later in the season, he came back fighting after a tough phase. He had a lot of pressure to deal with and handled it with a lot of assurance."

In the end, Stroll came back during the last three races of the 2023 season, during which he scored great points for his team. Krack suggested it was a shame the season didn't last longer as he added:

"I wish the season would have been a bit longer for him because he's been really fast in the final rounds. We can build on that. That's what needs to happen now. He just needs to pick up where he left off this season. He's overcome many challenges this year, and now he's very much on the up."