The Austrian GP Sprint race today didn’t disappoint one bit. From start to finish, it had us all gripped to our seats. Starting in slippery conditions, the 24-lap race quickly turned into a game of chicken; who would pit on a drying track with not enough laps left to make it count? Well, Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll didn’t. But they had their own problems with each other to contend with.

From the very get-go, the Canadian was ahead of his teammate. While Alonso played the team game in Baku, Stroll had other ideas in Austria. But they had built a solid gap once a few midfield cars had pitted. However, in the beginning, the pack was bunched up and Alonso was right up his teammate’s tail. This prompted Stroll to take matters into his own hands.

Lance Stroll issues team orders against Fernando Alonso

Lance Stroll was eyeing a solid top 5 finish when Alonso was chasing him like a hungry wolf. However, the Canadian knew that any on-track spat would cost both of them dearly in tricky conditions. That’s exactly why, he came onto the team radio to issue a warning to the Spaniard.

With 14 laps under their belts, Stroll was in 5th and Alonso had a considerable gap to the car behind him and less than a second behind Stroll himself. But Stroll knew that fortunes could change in a jiffy in such conditions. That’s when he gave his teammate an indirect command. He said, “Tell Fernando we shouldn’t waste time fighting.” [translated via Google Translate]

Read More: “Why Should I Stop?”: About to Turn 42 Soon, Fernando Alonso Admits to “Having Fun” Despite the Elusive 3rd Championship Not Being In Sight

Alonso has been leading the battle between the two Aston Martin drivers so far. But Stroll wants to take advantage of this Spielberg momentum.

Lance Stroll’s Austria ambitions

Stroll has been performing at the level of Alonso this weekend. However, as it turns out, he does have a distinct advantage because of the affinity he shares with the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg, Austria.

During a recent interview on the Aston Martin website, Stroll was quoted as saying, “I’m looking forward to returning to Europe for four races within the next few months, all on very different circuits. Whilst the first half has three DRS straights, the second is a sequence of quick corners, so it’s a fun track to race at.”

Can Stroll beat his teammate in tomorrow’s GP?

WATCH THIS STORY | Fernando Alonso Appreciating Teammate Lance Stroll’s Overtaking Move at Miami GP