Lance Stroll is one of the more controversial drivers on the current Formula 1 grid. Being the son of Aston Martin team owner Lawrence Stroll, his place in the team is often under scrutiny by the media. The media backlash was at an all-time high during the 2023 season as he struggled to match up to the 2-time world champion, Fernando Alonso during the team’s slump through the mid-season. However, according to the team principal Mike Krack, Lance Stroll made an impressive comeback towards the end of the season.

Despite a broken wrist and toe, Lance Stroll made a commendable decision to take part in the 2023 season opener in Bahrain. Despite being visibly uncomfortable grabbing onto the steering during his initial runs, he managed to finish a strong 6th on Sunday, showcasing his resilience. And all the while Aston Martin had a pace advantage over Mercedes and Ferrari, Stroll managed to deliver consistent points finishes, finishing as high up as 4th in the Australian Grand Prix.

Mike Krack hits back at the media for overly criticizing Lance Stroll

Despite having the second-best car in the initial 9 odd races, Aston Martin started losing pace because of a critical error in the car development. This was the time when Lance Stroll started struggling to understand the car compared to his more experienced teammate, Fernando Alonso. And that’s exactly when the criticism from the fans and the media picked up.

However, in a recent conversation, Aston Martin team principal, Mike Krack, pushed back at the media for their criticism of Lance Stroll. “They’re young athletes, this is weighing on them. They want to perform, and if the performance doesn’t live up to your own expectations it’s always difficult for everybody,” Motorsport quoted Mike Krack.

“What I really admire is that as a team, and also on Lance’s side, we’ve always stuck to our principles, working hard, working together, and believing in each other. And that makes me very proud of the team. All this pressure, which was also coming from you (the media), was weighing heavily on Lance. And to come out ahead the way he did together with the team, I think it made us a lot stronger for the future,” he added.

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It wasn’t just the team principal who praised Lance. Even his teammate expressed delight in the way Stroll managed to come back toward the business end of the season.

Fernando Alonso commends Stroll’s commitment to the team

In a recent feature from F1, Fernando Alonso applauded the Canadian driver for his resilience in the face of a challenging season. Despite the team’s ups and downs, Alonso expressed satisfaction with his collaboration with Stroll, expressing that it is only a sign of good things to come for the team in the future.

Speaking about Stroll’s unfortunate accident before the start of the season and his determination to overcome the setbacks, Alonso highlighted, “He’s been through some difficulties this year… It was impressive to see his dedication and his motivation in the highs and in the lows, in the beginning of the year with the broken hand, and then [midway] through the season with some difficulties. He was so determined to put things back in place again and eventually, he did.“

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Do you think Lance Stroll will be closer to Alonso in 2024 if Aston Martin brings a more capable car? Share your thoughts down below in the comments.