Lance Stroll is on par with Fernando Alonso in the head-to-head qualifying contest at Aston Martin.
Lance Stroll is taking satisfaction from his improved performances alongside Fernando Alonso in F1 2024, with the Aston Martin drivers level in the head-to-head qualifying battle so far this season.
Having measured up well alongside four-time World Champion Sebastian Vettel across 2021/22, Stroll endured the most challenging season of his career in F1 2023.
Lance Stroll taking the fight to Fernando Alonso in F1 2024
While Alonso registered a total of eight podium finishes across the campaign, Stroll finished no higher than fourth and ended the season 132 points adrift of his team-mate in the Drivers’ standings.
Aston Martin has faced challenges in reaching the same level of success in F1 2024, as they have fallen behind competitors like Ferrari, McLaren, and Mercedes in the development race over the past year.
Stroll’s recent performances have brought him more satisfaction than Alonso, as he has outperformed his renowned team-mate in the last three races in Miami, Emilia Romagna, and Monaco. This remarkable feat has allowed Stroll to equalize the inter-team competition.
F1 2024: Head-to-head statistics
F1 2024: Head-to-head qualifying record between team-mates
F1 2024: Head-to-head race statistics between team-mates
Nevertheless, Alonso maintains a substantial lead over his teammate in the World Championship and currently holds the ninth position in the standings with 33 points. This places him 22 points ahead of Stroll, who currently occupies the eleventh position.
In a conversation with Canadian publication TSN, Stroll expressed his contentment with his recent performances when competing against the highly accomplished Spaniard.
He mentioned that the driver is a two-time World Champion and is widely regarded as a top performer in Formula 1. Additionally, the qualifying results are currently tied at 4-4.
“The points can be misleading as an engine failure can occasionally impact an individual’s performance. Such occurrences often play a crucial role in determining the final points tally at the end of the season.”
As I reflect upon my recent weekends, I perceive them as quite impressive.
“When I consider the current pace and speed, as I already mentioned, we have both achieved a 4-4 result in qualifying sessions. Despite people praising his exceptional skills, I have managed to outperform him in the recent weekends. Interpret this information as you wish.”
In a conversation with various media outlets, including PlanetF1.com, before the final race in Monaco, Alonso openly acknowledged that his driving performance has not been up to par in recent times. This confession comes after he failed to advance past Q1 for the second consecutive race.
The 42-year-old asserted his readiness to forego personal opportunities on certain weekends in order to assist Aston Martin in gaining a better understanding of the AMR24 vehicle.
He expressed his belief that our performance has declined compared to the others.
I believe we improved the performance of our car, but it seems like the other cars took a slightly bigger leap forward. As a result, we slipped down a few positions.
Regarding my situation, I believe I did not perform flawlessly in those two races. Specifically, my driving skills were not up to par in Miami and Imola.
Sometimes, on a weekend when the goals won’t be enough to satisfy us or myself, it is the search for answers that truly motivates me. It’s not about fighting for top five or top seven, or any specific position.
Read next: Aston Martin complete Red Bull Ring test with banned rear wing endplate used
