Aston Martin had an outstanding start to the 2023 season as they clinched eight podium finishes and accumulated 280 points. Despite their success, former Aston Martin chief operating officer Otmar Szafnauer believes that under Lawrence Stroll’s leadership, the team has yet to match the performance of a failed $400 million dynasty. In a recent Inside Line interview, Szafnauer mentioned that although Stroll is more involved in management compared to Vijay Mallya, the previous owner, both shared similar goals for the team.
Expanding on this, Szafnauer said, “The significant differences are Vijay was hands-off. Vijay didn’t have a son in the car either. So because of it, there’s less emotion and more objective decision-making.”
Szafnauer became a part of the team in October 2009, when it operated under the name Force India. However, due to a significant $400 million loss, the team entered administration and was later bought by Stroll.
Apart from this, Szafnauer also shared insights into Stroll’s increased spending to boost performance. However, he made it clear that he wasn’t implying Mallya didn’t invest a substantial amount.
According to Szafnauer, the performance of Force India was considerably better than the current Aston Martin team. Szafnauer’s analysis stems from Force India securing fourth place in the constructor’s championship in 2016 and maintaining this position in the subsequent year.
However, in 2018, they dropped to seventh, as they had to forfeit 59 points due to a change in identity following the sale. Nevertheless, since Stroll’s takeover, ‘Racing Point’ finished seventh in 2019, but in 2020, they rebounded to fourth. However, they again concluded both the 2021 and 2022 seasons in seventh place.
How Lawrence Stroll’s emotional decision is depriving Aston Martin of higher championship rank?
There have been speculations about Lawrence Stroll considering selling his stake in Aston Martin due to Lance Stroll’s disinterest in F1. Moreover, the team itself is said to be experiencing frustrations due to Lance’s struggles.
These combined factors may be taking a substantial toll on Lawrence Stroll, who has made significant investments in the team. Despite a challenging season for Lance, Lawrence has once again provided an opportunity for his son.
However, this decision has evidently resulted in financial implications for the team’s crew members. In a podcast, Glenn Freeman shared a rumor he had heard.
Allegedly, the financial future of the Silverstone team is linked to Lance Stroll’s performance. At the end of the season, where Fernando Alonso achieved an impressive 206 points with eight podiums, Lance could only secure 74 points. Given that his season went from bad to worse last year, Lance’s team attributed their losses to him.
In light of this, Freeman said, “Pretty much all the employees in that [Aston Martin] team have bonuses based on their Constructors’ championship position. And the higher up in the championship they go, the bigger the steps in the bonuses are. So, there is a kind of underlying frustration with the Lance Stroll situation“.
Regardless of the financial difficulties the team may have experienced, Lance’s behavior within the team is only intensifying their worries. In essence, the team is facing a dual challenge due to his attitude and a series of poor results.
