When Sebastian Vettel announced that he will retire from F1 at the end of the 2022 season, Aston Martin was tasked with finding a suitable replacement for the four-time world champion. They turned to Fernando Alonso, who had a strained relationship with Alpine, and brought him to Silverstone easily.
However, many people have questioned Alonso’s arrival at Aston Martin. This is because he brings in a dynamic & attitude that is very different from Vettel’s. The German driver was calm & composed on most occasions whereas Alonso is seen as someone who is edgy, competitive, and ruthless.
While some see this as a weakness, Alonso’s new teammate Lance Stroll feels this will help the team grow. Aston Martin is a team with big ambitions and having someone like Alonso will motivate the team to work hard and get even better.
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Fernando Alonso won’t cause internal problems, insists Stroll
Alonso’s presence in a team has never been short of controversy. The 2-time world champion has had falling outs at almost every team he has driven for to date, and most people predict another clash at Aston Martin.
NEWS: @AstonMartinF1 announces Fernando Alonso for 2023.
We are delighted to confirm that two-time #F1 World Champion @alo_oficial will join the team from next season on a multi-year contract.
Tap below to read more. ⬇️#WeClimbTogether
— Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant F1 Team (@AstonMartinF1) August 1, 2022
Stroll, however, feels that the Spaniard’s competitiveness won’t cause any internal problems at the Silverstone-based outfit. This was something that even team principal Mike Krack insisted on when the 41-year-old’s move was made official.
“It’s no fun when you’re just kind of driving around with no one pushing you,” Stroll said to Motorsport.com.
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Lance Stroll excited to work with Alonso at Aston Martin
Ahead of their first season together as teammates, Stroll admitted that he’s excited to work with someone as legendary as Alonso. He revealed that the two of them have spoken in the past on several occasions and he thinks that the former Ferrari driver is a nice person.
“We’ve spent some time together,” he said about Alonso. “Just chatting and stuff on drivers parades and all that. “He’s a nice guy and he’s a great driver, a big talent.”
Replays show the impact between Alonso and Stroll. Glad to see both drivers are ok! #USGP pic.twitter.com/gO6zCQAjTt
— WTF1 (@wtf1official) October 23, 2022
Stroll also admitted that having Vettel as his teammate for two years helped him grow as a driver. Like Alonso, Vettel is a legend of the sport so he learnt a lot from the German driver. According to the Canadian, Vettel helped him improve his approach to race weekends & work ethic.