Lance Stroll doesn’t see why Aston Martin can’t repeat the form which have seen the team finish on the podium twice in the 2023 season’s opening two F1 races.
Heading into Melbourne for the 2023 Australian Grand Prix, Aston Martin sit second in the constructors’ championship, following Fernando Alonso’s pair of third places in Bahrain and Jeddah.
It marks a remarkable transformation for the Silverstone-based team, with the 2022 Australian GP being a dreadful experience after Stroll and, then teammate, Sebastian Vettel hit the barrier in FP3, wrecking both cars.
‘‘It’s great I always enjoy coming here,’’ said Stroll to the media. ‘‘It’s a fun place to come racing the track’s fun to drive. The weather could be a bit interesting this weekend.
‘‘We were good in Bahrain, and at a different kind of track in Jeddah, we were very competitive again, so I see no reason we shouldn’t be able to repeat [that form].’’
Wrists still recovering from cycling accident
In a sense, it’s a miracle Stroll is even racing in Melbourne this weekend, as following his cycling accident in the winter, doctors had told him he would likely not be fit enough to race in Australia.
But after an intense rehabilitation process, Stroll was passed fit for Bahrain and finished a solid sixth in the race despite not being 100% fully recovered from his injuries.
‘‘Just [currently] training and working on my wrists, still not 100 percent, but getting better,’’ said Stroll. ‘‘I still have those fractures. Bones don’t heal in a few weeks [but I] definitely feel better.
‘‘The team has done a really good job, and we improved a lot of aspects compared to last year’s car.
‘‘It’s a lot more efficient, has a lot more downforce, and all those things coming together have made it a competitive car.’’
