Fernando Alonso believes future teammate Stroll has championship potential: “He has the speed, and he has the talent”

Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant Formula One Team’s Fernando Alonso shared his belief that his new teammate Lance Stroll has the talent to become world champion in the future. Coming into the Britain-based team with over twenty years of experience in the FIA Formula 1 World Championship and two titles to his name, Alonso looks forward to assisting the team in achieving their goal of becoming title contenders. 

According to PlanetF1.com, Alonso said that he has known Stroll for over a decade, having met him during his stint at Ferrari over a decade ago. He has also been friendly with the Canadian’s Father and owner of the Aston Martin team, Lawrence Stroll, for “many years.”

“I’ve known Lance for 11 years. We met in 2012 when I was at Ferrari – he was in the Ferrari Academy. And I’ve known his father, Lawrence, for many years. He’s a great friend of mine. I’ve been to his house in Canada a few times, doing different sports and enjoying time together.”

Alonso said that Stroll’s evolution as a driver has been “special” to see, having become an asset to Aston Martin as a skillful young driver. He noted that Stroll is particularly strong in wet conditions, which have resulted in some of his most impressive performances, such as his pole position at the 2020 Turkish Grand Prix. 

“In Lance, the team has a driver who is super young, super talented and has the possibility to be World Champion. To see him achieve that and have played a part in that, whether that’s behind the wheel or not, will be special for me.”

“He has the speed, and he has the talent. He has shown it many times, especially in wet conditions. I remember Lance’s pole position in Turkey and some of his other excellent performances in the wet; to perform at that level in difficult conditions you have to have a special feeling with the car.”

The extent of the investment in the Aston Martin team over the last few seasons has been clear to Alonso, as well as their unwavering ambition to become a top team– both traits drew him to join the storied outfit for the 2023 season. 

“The team is determined to become a championship contender and will do whatever it takes to get there. This ambition is appealing to any racing driver. You see all the investment, the new factory, the talent joining the team, and you want to be part of it.

“And then there is the name, Aston Martin. It is, and always will be, an iconic brand in motorsport and the automotive industry. To write the next chapter in the brand’s history and become part of the Aston Martin family makes me very proud.”