Aston Martin driver Lance Stroll.
Aston Martin driver Lance Stroll admitted the team took a slight “wrong direction” with its development direction, and have taken a “different path” to correct it.
Aston Martin had started the 2023 season as one of the fastest cars on the grid, but have steadily fallen backwards in the pecking order as others have developed their packages and made progress, though while Stroll acknowledged their upgrades in the past year have not had the desired effect all the time, it is all “part of growing as a team.”
Lance Stroll: ‘Ultimately, we took a bit of a wrong direction’
Additional reporting by Thomas Maher
Stroll and Fernando Alonso, teammates at Aston Martin, secured a double-points finish at Silverstone, indicating a promising path towards the front of the pack for the team.
Although both Aston Martins have achieved points twice in the past four races, they presently possess 128 points less compared to the same period last year. The major share of points has been acquired by Red Bull, Ferrari, McLaren, and Mercedes in the ongoing season.
Stroll stated that the team is taking steps to narrow the gap with their rivals, as the Silverstone-based constructor aims to establish itself as one of the leading contenders in the future of this sport.
Stroll, speaking to media outlets including PlanetF1.com, stated that although they were present at the start of last year, they did not achieve complete success. Despite possessing a fast car and securing several podium finishes, as well as numerous top-five placements, the team acknowledges the necessity to further develop and strengthen themselves.
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Ultimately, I believe we made a mistake in our development philosophy and ended up going down the wrong path instead of the right one.
We have gradually come to the realization that, increasingly, we need to change our course and allow time for improvement by pursuing a new direction.
Once again, I believe that it is an essential aspect of team development, as well as a valuable opportunity for team learning.
Regrettably, we are currently facing the consequences of our actions and are not positioned where we desire to be on track. Nevertheless, we continue to persist and make progress.
Stroll mentioned that the team has been diligently striving to find a solution behind the scenes. Although they have gained valuable lessons along the way, the upgrades they have introduced have not yielded the expected outcome.
He admitted that over the past year, we have engaged in extensive exploration and aero testing. However, despite introducing upgrades, we have not witnessed the expected benefits.
We have gained considerable knowledge, and currently, our main focus is to implement that knowledge, address any issues, and enhance the car’s speed significantly.
Read next: Red Bull upgrade confirmation in warning shot to Mercedes and McLaren
