The 2024 Qatar Grand Prix had everything: three safety cars, surprise penalties, and Max Verstappen clinching another masterful win, the 63rd of his career. While most eyes remained focused on the McLaren-Ferrari duel shaping up in the Constructors title, two other drivers had things brewing, Alex Albon and Lawrence Stroll.

But while the unpredictable action at the front thrilled fans, it was an early clash further down the grid that stole some of the post-race buzz. Aston Martin driver Lance Stroll and William’s driver Alex Albon tangled on Lap 1, with one driver’s race ending in the garage and the other limping home well out of contention. An incident that drew the ire of the fans as well as the Williams man.

The collision happened seconds after the race began, with Stroll diving into Turn 1 in what many described as yet another overly aggressive move. The contact sent Albon spinning and forced Stroll to pit, serve a 10-second penalty, and eventually retire. Albon, dealing with the damage, soldiered on to finish a lonely P15, a lap down.

Adding fuel to the fire was Albon’s damning seven-word reaction over the team radio: “I knew he was gonna do it.” The remark captured not just the frustration of the moment but the growing sentiment around Stroll’s driving—careless, costly, and a frequent source of chaos this season. For Williams Racing, the crash was more than just a frustrating moment on track—it was another heavy blow in an already challenging season. With repair bills piling up and resources stretched thin, every incident puts additional strain on a team struggling to stay afloat in Formula 1’s budget-cap era.

Albon, meanwhile, has every right to feel exasperated. For Williams, every crash isn’t just a setback but a potential season-derailing event. With limited spares and a tight budget, the team enters the final races of 2024 under-prepared and at risk of further issues. As one fan put it, summing up the mood: “Williams just can’t catch a break—and Stroll isn’t helping.” With the season winding down, Williams faces a tough road ahead. For Stroll, the road to redemption is even steeper. And for Albon? His seven-word assessment might just be the enduring quote of the year.

“I knew he was gonna do it”: Fans react to Lance Stroll-Alex Albon crash

Fans and pundits didn’t hold back, taking to social media to dissect the incident—and Lance Stroll’s growing reputation for mishaps. “Albon’s tone was pure exhaustion,” one fan wrote. “That’s what happens when you’re too close to the Strollercoaster blast radius far too many times.” Another put it more bluntly: “If you see Stroll next to you, better give him all the space in the world—he’s a heat-seeking missile.” There may be some wisdom for drivers there. For teams who have already been in accidents frequently this year, the crashes take up more room in the budget. Team Principal James Vowles didn’t mince words when describing the toll recent accidents have taken. After costly crashes in Mexico and Brazil, the Qatar incident adds to a repair bill already “in the millions—less than 10 but more than three,” Vowles revealed.

The critiques were as much about Stroll’s track record as the Qatar incident itself. This season alone, Stroll has been involved in a string of blunders, from rear-ending Daniel Ricciardo under a safety car in China to inexplicably beaching his car during the formation lap in Brazil. “The beauty of Stroll is his ability to occasionally look like a future world champion—only to remind us he’s not, in the most spectacular ways,” one comment read. If fans look back to the 2020 season, there were many such moments where Stroll showed flashes of brilliance. He took pole position at the Turkish Grand Prix against arguably the fastest F1 car of all time, the W11 driven by Lewis Hamilton.

Not everyone saw it as entirely one-sided, though. Some fans noted Albon’s mid-corner adjustment and questioned whether it contributed to the incident. “Sure, it was Stroll’s fault,” one argued, “but Albon’s sudden move didn’t help. A more focused driver might have handled it better, but Stroll just… didn’t.”The Qatar crash also highlighted an ever-growing frustration with Stroll’s role in the sport. Often dismissed as a “pay driver” whose seat exists due to his billionaire father’s ownership of Aston Martin, Stroll’s series of errors has drawn more scrutiny than ever. His 43-year-old teammate, Fernando Alonso, continues to outperform him dramatically, earning nearly three times as many points despite running the same machinery.

The stewards’ decision to penalize Stroll also sparked debate. Comparisons were drawn to earlier incidents in the race, like Nico Hülkenberg’s multi-car collision, which went unpunished. “So Hülkenberg DNFs two cars and gets nothing, but Stroll gets penalized for this? Make it make sense,” one fan vented. Despite some sympathy for Stroll, the consensus was clear: the Aston Martin driver’s error-prone season continued to do his reputation no favors.