F1 fans fume as ‘worst driver on grid’ Lance Stroll signs long-term deal with Aston Martin. Lance Stroll has signed a new contract that will keep him with Aston Martin until 2025 and beyond, much to the chagrin of many Formula One fans. The Canadian driver has been with the British team since 2020, when it was known as Racing Point.
His tenure has been marked by accusations that his continued presence in the sport is largely due to his father, Lawrence Stroll, who owns the team.
A polarising figure on the track
Stroll made his F1 debut with Williams in 2017, becoming the second youngest driver in the sport’s history after Max Verstappen. Throughout his career, he has shown sporadic moments of brilliance, securing three podium finishes and one pole position.
However, his overall performance has been widely criticised. Many believe his talent pales in comparison to his peers, and that he retains his seat largely due to the influence of his father.
Last season’s results underlined this criticism, as team-mate Fernando Alonso finished fourth in the standings with 206 points, while Stroll finished 10th with just 74 points. This disparity had a significant impact on Aston Martin’s standing in the Constructors’ Championship, with the team dropping to fifth place.
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Fan backlash and social media outcry
The announcement of Stroll’s contract extension came ahead of the Austrian Grand Prix and sparked a wave of negative reaction from fans. Twitter was abuzz with comments expressing disbelief and frustration.
Phillip Applegarth said sarcastically: “Well done. You’ve just guaranteed that you won’t be winning a championship any time soon. Congratulations. Bold strategy”.
Similarly, Nick Parker questioned the team’s ambition, stating, “I really struggle to understand how Aston Martin can position themselves as a winning team and still keep Stroll in. Yes, I know his dad owns the team, but at what point are constructors’ points etc not more important?”
Morgan Moore didn’t mince his words either, writing: “Worst driver on the grid. Him pushing the assistant was the last straw for me. Horrible man”.
Other fans echoed these sentiments, with @feroefe64 saying: “Surprise!!! Totally untalented driver will continue to race for daddy’s team amidst his decline in respect and ability!” and Jutta Wilding added: “No other driver would get a contract extension with so little performance.”
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The impact on Aston Martin’s ambitions
Paid drivers like Stroll are not a new phenomenon in F1. However, his father, Lawrence Stroll, has ambitions to turn Aston Martin into a championship-winning team and this is seen as being at odds with his decision to retain his underperforming son.
So far in 2024, Stroll has scored just a third of Alonso’s points, adding to doubts about his ability to make a significant contribution to the team’s success.
CambeltF1 highlighted the team’s potential on x.com, but stressed the need for change: “This team has so much potential, but until they drop all the baggage they are carrying, they will never progress. The team has a good chance of doing something with Alonso in 2026 if they get it right. Team championship not so much now.”
The sentiment was echoed by @NoguiNSFM, who lamented: “[Felipe] Drugovich is crying at this very moment. It’s ridiculous,” and @king_despi, who suggested, “I’d take Carlos [Sainz] and Fernando. Or even beg Seb [Vettel] to come back”.
Alonso’s Praise and its scrutiny
In the midst of this controversy, Fernando Alonso has described his relationship with Lance Stroll as ‘the best he’s ever had in his F1 career’.
However, this praise has been greeted with a degree of scepticism by many, given that Stroll’s father owns the team for which Alonso races. Ahead of the Austrian Grand Prix, Aston Martin announced that Stroll had signed a multi-year contract extension, ensuring that he will remain alongside Alonso through F1’s upcoming rule changes in 2026, when Aston Martin will partner with Honda.
Alonso, who penned a new deal in April, believes an unchanged line-up is a good move for the team’s ambitions to become genuine title contenders.
“Yes, I think it is great news for the team,” said Alonso. “Obviously he was thinking a bit about his future or whatever he was waiting for, but for us I think it’s great news because he knows the team very well.”
He went on to explain Stroll’s familiarity with the team and how that could be an advantage: “Apart from a couple of years with Williams, he has spent his career in this environment with the same group of people and he can improve things knowing what Aston was in the past, what it is now, how things have changed for the better, if things change for the worse, he has all that background.”
Mixed reactions to Alonso’s comments
Alonso’s comments have been met with mixed reactions. Some fans have questioned the sincerity of his praise, given the potential pressure to maintain a positive relationship within the team owned by his team-mate’s father. Despite this, Alonso insists that their relationship is beneficial to the team’s progress.
“I think in this year and a half together we get on very well, so for me personally it’s also very positive to be able to work with someone who only thinks in the same direction and only helps the team, not his individual desires,” added Alonso.
Aston Martin have endured a challenging season, with upgrades failing to deliver the expected gains and the team relegated to mid-field. Alonso revealed that he and Stroll have been in constant communication to help the team understand their struggles. He praised Stroll’s dedication and commitment, highlighting their joint efforts.
“Yes, I think I’d say a lot, he’s a very dedicated person and committed to his job,” said Alonso.
“He works a lot in the simulator, he lives in the UK and that helps. But we’re always talking about the team and the things in the car.”
Looking ahead
As the debate over Stroll’s performance and place in the sport continues, it remains to be seen how Aston Martin’s decision will affect their future ambitions and whether the team can achieve the success Lawrence Stroll envisions.
In the meantime, Alonso’s support for Stroll, whether genuine or strategic, adds another layer of complexity to the team’s dynamics as they navigate their way towards potential championship glory.
With decisions such as Lance Stroll’s contract extension, it’s tricky to see quite how they’ll get there.
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