Fernando Alonso, the driver, is a dream acquisition for any team. He’s a 2x F1 champion with a documented history of being blisteringly fast, irrespective of machinery or age. That being said, Fernando Alonso, the personality, has gone down as a troublesome chap for F1 teams over the years. The pacey Spaniard has donned quite a few racing overalls over the span of his illustrious F1 career, but the end has on most occasions, been acrimonious, to say the least. Aston Martin are sure to be wary about this. But Lance Stroll has opened up about what Alonso’s rocky history with his previous teams and teammates means to him.

At the end of the day, Stroll, son of Billionaire Lawrence Stroll, who owns the team, believes Alonso’s the type of guy who pushes everyone around him to the maximum. Over the years, we’ve seen this materialize into nasty politics and public outbursts. His stints at Ferrari and both times at McLaren speak for themselves. However, the Canadian racing ace believes he has the key to channelizing Alonso’s combustive personality to his benefit.

While speaking to Motorsport.com, Stroll began, by explaining his approach with a hint of hindsight, probably aimed toward his ex-teammate, Sebastian Vettel. “It’s no fun when you’re just kind of driving around with no one pushing you.”

Speaking of what he expects Alonso to bring to the table at Aston Martin, he said, “I think what you want in a teammate is a guy that is at the top of his game. It means that when you get more out of it than him, you’re really at the top of your game, and vice versa.”

For Stroll, Alonso will be the perfect catalyst for him to up his own game. “When you’re not getting the most out of it, it’s not that you can just sit back and relax. You’ve got to try and work harder.”

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Alonso’s arrival at Aston Martin has faced its own share of skepticism. However, behind the scenes, he brings to Aston Martin something Vettel couldn’t.

Aston Martin feels replacing Fernando Alonso with Sebastian Vettel could take them right to the top

When Aston Martin announced Sebastian Vettel’s arrival in 2021, both parties dubbed this as a long-term project. That being said, the 4x champ had had enough just after 2 years at the British team and decided to call it quits on his F1 career at the end of the 2022 season. This is exactly where Aston Martin boss Mike Krack believes Alonso trumps Vettel.

In an interview with AS, Krack said, “Seb is a four-time World Champion, but he is a different person, he has taken the decision to stop when Fernando has taken the decision to continue for longer, that changes the motivation of the team. There are dynamics in the team around that.”

“We are grateful for what Sebastian has brought, he took the team to a different level; but the combination of the investment behind it and Fernando’s hunger will take us even further.”

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How do you think the Lance Stroll – Fernando Alonso dynamic will pan out, given their clash at the 2022 US Grand Prix?