Stroll manages 43 laps despite ongoing issues
'Racing is a strong word, but we got out ... it was nice to drive around the track a little bit and to get some kilometres in the car'
Lance Stroll completed 43 laps of the Australian Grand Prix in two stints on Sunday afternoon after missing the entire day of track action on Saturday.
The Jewish Canadian began with an initial 36 laps in his problematic Aston Martin before returning to the pits, after which he rejoined the race 15 laps behind to complete an addition seven. It follows him not participating in Free Practice 3 and Qualifying due to ongoing issues with his power unit.
“Racing is a strong word, but we got out,” he said after the race. “I mean, it was the only session I did all weekend really. So it was nice to drive around the track a little bit and to get some kilometres in the car.”
Stroll said the most pressing problem was the car’s lack of speed and reliability. “That’s the biggest thing,” he said, noting that the vibration issues plaguing the car due to its flawed Honda engine had not improved through the weekend despite the team working to mitigate them.
Asked what engineers were working on during his extended pit stop between his stints on the track, he replied, “Setups, and then also we had some stuff to look at I think on the power unit. So, two things.”
It was the culmination of a difficult weekend not just for Stroll but for the Aston Martin team, who are well behind their competitors due to the ongoing Honda power unit issues. His teammate, Spaniard Fernando Alonso, managed just 21 laps after starting the race strongly.
“I think the start and the first two laps were the most enjoyable part of the race. Being P10 for two laps was unexpected,” Alonso told journalists. “I fall back to P17 or whatever and then we have a small issue on data that we have to stop the car. And then we think we repair it, and then we went back out again, and I think another issue appears so we have to stop the car for the second time.”
With the Chinese Grand Prix looming in just one week, Alonso said he did not expect much to change. “We have the same car, the same power unit next weekend. So yeah, I expect another tough weekend,” he said. “But meanwhile, we cannot give up. We need to keep on trying different solutions.”
He said the vibration issue felt similar to what it was during testing in Bahrain in February. “This is not the best feeling, driving with this level of vibrations,” Alonso said. “I think Honda thinks that the vibrations on the battery are reduced since Bahrain with some of the modifications, but that didn’t happen to the chassis yet, because they need to isolate the battery in a different way.
“So I think it will take a little bit more time, but we try to do our best and to do as many laps as possible to help the team.”
The first grand prix of the new regulations era began in lively fashion, with Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc coming from fourth on the starting grid to overtake leader Mercedes’ George Russell at the first corner. The two duelled for the lead during the opening laps, before Ferrari’s decision not pit during two different virtual safety car periods and then doing so later during full race conditions allowed both Russell and teammate Kimi Antonelli to overtake.
The front three would stay that way for the remainder of the race, with Russell taking first place, Antonelli second, and Leclerc third.
Red Bull’s Max Verstappen again showed why he is one the best drivers in Formula 1 history, coming from 20th on the starting grid to finish sixth. “Yeah, I mean I stayed out of trouble in the beginning, and then drove by the midfield, and then at one point, got into a bit of a rhythm,” the Dutchman said.
Australia’s Oscar Piastri, however, was left lamenting another home grand prix disaster after a power surge caused his McLaren to slam into the wall prior to the race, ensuring he would take no part in it. “I’m just obviously disappointed,” he said. “A scenario like that just shouldn’t happen.
“There is certainly a big element of it that was me … at the same time, I had about 100 kilowatts extra power that I didn’t expect, which is not insignificant.
“I’m just very sorry, obviously, for everyone that came out and wanted to support me. It’s clearly not the way I wanted to start the year either. So I can only apologise.”