Over the past weekend, Lance Stroll delivered an impressive performance at his home race on the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. The Canadian driver finished seventh in the Canadian Grand Prix, right behind his teammate Fernando Alonso. Despite this commendable result, there are doubts about the 25-year-old driver in the paddock. Experts suggest that Stroll seems indifferent about his role in Formula 1.
Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko has noticed that Lance Stroll’s season has been ‘inconsistent’. The 81-year-old Austrian observed how the Aston Martin driver was often outperformed by his teammate, Fernando Alonso. Despite disappointing results in Imola and Monaco, the Spaniard is still responsible for 41 of Aston Martin’s 58 points. In a conversation with Le Journal de Montreal, Marko discusses the qualities of Lance Stroll.
Helmut Marko Questions Lance Stroll’s Commitment to Formula 1
“In 2017, Stroll had a very good race with Williams in Azerbaijan,” Marko recalled. “He even drove to the podium. And I remember him taking pole in Turkey in 2020. Since then, he has had his ups and downs. Very good, but also very meaningless races. I wonder if he really wants to be a Formula 1 driver and if he is really working hard for good results. It’s hard to say if he has earned his spot on the grid.”
Stroll: ‘I’ve Beaten Alonso’
Stroll himself does not doubt his position within the sport. As long as he can measure up to teammate Fernando Alonso, the Canadian is not worried. “When I look at my last weekends, I see strong performances,” he said in the run-up to his home race.
“In terms of speed, it’s even so far – it’s four-four in qualifications,” he explained. Stroll has managed to qualify higher than his seasoned teammate four times this season. “People say that [Alonso] is super good, but I’ve beaten him in the last weekends. That says enough, I think.”
