Never in the history of Formula 1 have we come across a situation where a driver has held a lifetime contract. However, then came the Stroll family. Lawrence Stroll’s ownership of Aston Martin is perhaps the only reason Lance Stroll is still part of the circus, despite his subpar track record, according to many. However, the Canadian pulled up his socks in the last part of the season, earning him a mega compliment against his teammate, Fernando Alonso.

Only a couple of months ago, experts brutally criticized Lance Stroll for his continued abysmal performances. In fact, they went as far as saying Stroll will race his last race in the sport soon. Perhaps to silence his doubters, the Canadian raced like he’s never done before in the final stages of the 2023 season, and it earned him a seal of approval from an Aston Martin ambassador.

Lance Stroll was placed ahead of Fernando Alonso after Abu Dhabi

Coming into the 2023 season, no one expected Stroll Jr. to challenge the two-time world champion in equal machinery. Sadly, that is exactly what happened throughout the year. However, in the last three race weekends, Lance Stroll proved why he is part of the premier class. Speaking about his performances on the F1 Nation podcast, Aston Martin brand ambassador Pedro de la Rosa gave the Canadian a massive compliment.

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De La Rosa said, “[Lance Stroll] has been flying the last few races, you know. Okay, there have been races where they have been difficult, and we’ve been at the back. Mexico, Austin, you know, starting from the pit lane. But he’s been incredibly fast. In some races, definitely faster than Fernando. This has impressed me from Lance. His capacity has really improved to learn and to grow stronger and [the Abu Dhabi GP] was an example of that.”  

We can’t agree more with De La Rosa because Lance Stroll has been absolutely flying in the last few races. In Brazil, he qualified in P3 in bizarre weather conditions. Although he couldn’t keep P3, he crossed the line in P5 on Sunday, securing one of his best results of 2023. In Las Vegas, he started in P19 and recovered to P5. And in Abu Dhabi, he started outside the points once again to take the last points place. Let’s hope Stroll carries this form into the next season. However, he’s not delusional and knows where he stands in the team hierarchy.

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Stroll made an honest admission about his racing abilities against Alonso

In a battle between two teammates where one is a double world champion, the general perception is the world champion wins. However, F1 drivers as a breed are highly competitive and never discount themselves. Despite his recent uptick in performances, the Canadian is self-aware of his standing in the team but also showcased a desire to change that outlook.

Over the summer break, Stroll said, “I think if we have clean weekends, the results will be better. That’s what I honestly believe, but also just getting more out of the car and driving a bit faster because right now, Fernando has generally been faster than me. So I have to figure out how to go a little bit faster around the corners.” Well, it looks like he figured some of the stuff out, seeing as he ended the 2023 season on a high.

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After capping off the season the way he did, in a car that is competitive enough, Stroll would want to earn some respect and quash the nepotism claims. 2024 should be an important season for Aston Martin as they will try to take the fight to the top three.