Lance Stroll, a member of the Aston Martin Formula 1 Team, faced unfortunate circumstances during the 2023 season. Stroll’s recovery from injury coincided with the team’s peak performance at the beginning of the campaign. His absence from pre-season testing and the lingering effects of broken wrists hindered his preparations for the opening rounds. Meanwhile, his teammate Fernando Alonso took advantage of Aston Martin’s competitiveness and secured eight podium finishes. In contrast, Stroll struggled to keep up, accumulating only 74 points compared to Alonso’s 206. Once Stroll regained full fitness, he found himself at a disadvantage as the Silverstone squad failed to keep up with development. This led to a challenging period for Stroll, with six consecutive eliminations in the Q1 qualifying session between Italy and Mexico. Despite the difficulties, Stroll remained confident in his abilities. However, the pressure to break free from his mid-season slump weighed heavily on him. Aston Martin boss Mike Krack acknowledged the burden Stroll carried and praised the team for their resilience and belief in each other. Krack expressed pride in how they managed the pressure and highlighted the strength they gained from overcoming adversity. Stroll’s performance improved towards the end of the season, securing fifth place in Brazil and Las Vegas. Krack emphasized that Stroll’s late recovery demonstrated his misfortune in not being able to capitalize on Aston Martin’s strong car earlier in the season due to his injuries. Krack also credited Stroll’s growth to his partnership with two-time World Champion Fernando Alonso, highlighting the lessons learned from working alongside him in managing difficult situations and relying on data and analysis.
According to the Source motorsportweek.com