Alonso Praises Stroll’s Intelligence, Contrasts Ocon Rivalry

In a surprising turn of events, Fernando Alonso has heaped praise on his new Aston Martin teammate Lance Stroll, lauding him as “highly intelligent” and a stark contrast to his previous Alpine Formula 1 colleague, Esteban Ocon.

The two-time World Champion, who secured his fourth podium of 2023 in Miami, left Alpine following a contentious 2022 season marked by multiple on-track disputes with Ocon.

In an unexpected move, Alonso joined Aston Martin for 2023, a change that has aligned with the Silverstone-based team becoming a consistent top contender.

Aston Martin’s remarkable early-season performance has placed them second in the Constructors’ standings, a feat made possible in part by the solid partnership between Alonso and Stroll.

“We discussed this objective within the team,” Alonso shared with Sky Sports F1. “I recall the day prior to the car’s unveiling in February at the factory.

“What was the team’s aim, as discussed with [team principal] Mike Krack and [chief executive] Martin Whitmarsh?

“We all concur that we need to adopt this approach – if we want to challenge the opposition, we’re up against major teams like Ferrari and Mercedes, and our advantage lies in scoring points with both cars,” Alonso stated.

The two-time World Champion has been acknowledged for the encouragement he has shown towards Stroll, referring to the Canadian as a “hero” following his sixth-place finish in the Bahrain Grand Prix, despite still recovering from a pre-season cycling accident.

During the Azerbaijan race, Stroll was heard telling his engineers over the radio that he wouldn’t attack Alonso. Later, the Spaniard instructed his team to provide Stroll with technical guidance regarding brake balance settings, given his teammate’s relatively limited experience.

When questioned about his willingness to assist Stroll, Alonso responded: “Yes, I endeavored to help Lance, but we must not overlook that he’s also very intelligent.

“As a teammate, he has proven himself, as we saw in Baku. We discussed potentially conserving tires since we didn’t know exactly how long the tires would last in a sprint format. He then said, ‘I will not attack Fernando.’

“Contrastingly, my teammate last year seemed to target me first, which was clearly detrimental to the team. Therefore, I believe Lance is also contributing significantly to this relationship.”

Alonso confidently asserted that he anticipates Stroll leading Aston Martin for “the next 10 to 15 years” and that he wants “to support Lance as much as possible while I’m racing.”

At 41 years old, Alonso has out-qualified and finished ahead of Stroll in each of the first five races this season. Nevertheless, he is convinced that Stroll possesses the potential to become a team leader in the future.

“Currently, I might be better equipped to contend for the championship because I’ve been in this position, competing with top cars at the front,” Alonso explained.

“But as I mentioned, I will race for a few more years, not many, and I believe Lance has many more years ahead of him. If I can help, I’ll be glad.”

Furthermore, Alonso spoke about the positive relationship he shares with Aston Martin executive chairman Lawrence Stroll.

“We’ve known each other for about 12 years, since Lance was just a kid in karting, and I genuinely like him,” Alonso said.

“I appreciate his limitless approach. I think Lawrence’s leadership style is quite infectious, and everyone on the team is embracing his vision.”

Alonso Praises Stroll Intelligence, Contrasts Ocon Rivalry F1 2023 Alonso Praises Stroll Intelligence, Contrasts Ocon Rivalry F1 2023 Alonso Praises Stroll Intelligence, Contrasts Ocon Rivalry F1 2023

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