Aston Martin, also known as Team Stroll, was created by a wealthy Canadian businessman named Lawrence to fulfill his son Lance’s aspirations of becoming a Formula 1 World Champion. This venture can be seen as a remarkable investment made by a father to support his son’s pursuit of his dreams.
Since his early days in Karting, Lance has always had access to the finest resources. He quickly rose through the ranks, winning the Formula 3 championship in his second season. Thanks to his father’s financial backing, he bypassed Formula 2 and entered Formula 1 at the young age of 18, joining the Williams team.
During his debut season in 2017, Lance made a significant impact by securing a podium finish in Baku, making him the second youngest driver in history to achieve this feat. Only Max Verstappen accomplished it at a younger age.
This impressive performance served as inspiration for Lawrence to invest even more money in his son’s career. He acquired top-tier teams in lower racing series and funded extensive private testing sessions as Lance continued to progress.
Following the turmoil at Williams caused by the Paddy Lowe scandal, Lawrence stepped in to rescue the team, transforming it into Racing Point. Once again, Lance demonstrated his potential as a true Formula 1 driver. With a competitive car at his disposal, he consistently delivered strong results, making the Racing Point era the highlight of his career thus far.
Lance’s most successful season in Formula 1 was 2020, during his time with Racing Point. He accumulated a total of 75 points, a personal record for him in the top-flight category. It is worth noting that this achievement was attained over a 17-race season, as opposed to the current trend of having over 20 races in a year.
In summary, Stroll’s performance has been disappointing and seems to be deteriorating with each race. He is a mere shadow of his former self before joining Aston Martin. Last season, he was completely outperformed by the experienced veteran Fernando Alonso, and the trend continues this season. It is evident that Lance remains in F1 solely because of his father’s wealth, as his merit to be there has long expired.
During an interview with the Media Team at Fastest Payout Online Casino, Herbert shared his thoughts on the matter: “Lance often faces unfair criticism due to his father being a Canadian billionaire who owns the team. Critics claim that he is only in F1 because of that. However, he has achieved notable feats such as pole positions and leading races in F1, showcasing his true speed.”
“He even won the European F3 Championship, which is no easy feat, especially when people were questioning his position due to his father’s ownership. You still need to perform and deliver results on the track, and he did just that,” added Herbert, a former GP winner in 161 GP starts.
Unfortunately, Stroll is currently struggling and not performing well this season. He faced difficulties last year as well. While Herbert has been a supporter of Stroll due to his impressive performances in the past, he acknowledges that Stroll’s lack of consistency will likely prevent him from becoming an F1 World Champion.
As the Miami Grand Prix approaches, Stroll will be participating in his 149th GP start. However, it is evident that he has not shown any improvement and has failed to benefit from the guidance of a double F1 World Champion mentor. His lack of consistency is evident, and his rookie mistake of colliding with Daniel Ricciardo’s VCARB is just one of many errors he has made over the past two seasons.
On the other hand, Stroll’s father is building a formidable F1 team, reviving the Aston Martin brand in the top flight of racing. Aston Martin can be considered the British equivalent of Ferrari, albeit with a green color scheme instead of red. The AMR factory has produced strong cars over the past two F1 seasons, which Alonso has utilized effectively with multiple podium finishes and consistent competitiveness at the front of the grid. In contrast, Stroll has consistently lagged behind and failed to make an impact.
Since becoming teammates in the 2023 season, Alonso has accumulated 237 points compared to Stroll’s 83. These statistics highlight the fact that if Stroll had scored a similar number of points as Alonso (206), Aston Martin would likely have finished in second place in the previous year’s F1 Constructors Championship.
This harsh reality emphasizes the significant points and financial losses that Stroll has caused Aston Martin with his underwhelming performances compared to Alonso. It is clear that the dream of Stroll becoming a World Champion is unlikely to materialize, and it is time to address the issue of nepotism and consider alternative options.
Herbert concludes by stating, “Lance and Aston Martin are at a crucial juncture. Aston Martin has invested heavily in ensuring the team’s success in F1, with Fernando Alonso being one part of that equation. They are also constructing a new factory and wind tunnel facility. It is clear that they are not investing to maintain the status quo.”
In a recent statement, Herbert explained that in order for Aston Martin to progress and succeed, both of their drivers must meet the expectations placed upon them. He emphasized the importance of either outperforming their teammate or at least being in close proximity to them, but unfortunately, this is not currently the case. Herbert believes that there will come a time when Lawrence, the team owner, will have to make a decision. He suggests that Carlos Sainz would be the perfect fit for Aston Martin, as he is currently excelling at Ferrari despite knowing that he will not have a job there next year. Herbert expresses his concern that it would be a missed opportunity if Aston Martin were to pass on Sainz.
Regarding the potential departure of Lance Stroll, Herbert acknowledges that he and Lawrence have been on a motorsport journey together for a long time. Lawrence has always had a passion for motorsport and has been fortunate enough to experience it through his son. Ending their partnership would undoubtedly be difficult, as their relationship is strong. Lawrence undoubtedly wants to give his son the best chance of success, but he is also a businessman. Herbert recognizes that this is a critical juncture where Lawrence must choose between his family and the business. In order for Aston Martin to continue their journey, they require the best talent available. Herbert sympathizes with the difficult decision Lawrence must make.
Johnny argues in favor of Aston Martin pursuing Carlos Sainz as quickly as possible. He highlights Sainz’s exceptional performance and availability, questioning whether Aston Martin would want to miss out on such a talent. Johnny reveals that Lawrence has already made a bold offer to Adrian Newey at Red Bull, recognizing the immediate impact Newey’s expertise would have on the team. He believes that Newey, who has previously expressed regret for not working with Fernando Alonso, would be enticed by the challenge of joining Aston Martin. Despite being content at Red Bull, Newey may be open to the idea of starting anew. Johnny also mentions Ferrari’s interest in Newey, but ultimately suggests that Aston Martin is a viable option for the renowned designer.
It is worth noting that Newey’s contract with Red Bull extends until the end of 2026, so any potential move would not occur until then. However, Lawrence must confront the difficult task of informing his son, Lance, that he may need to consider alternative racing opportunities. The phrase “Lance, everyone is faster than you… How about WEC, son?” is likely to be a challenging conversation for Lawrence to have with his son.