On the eve of the Mexico City Grand Prix, Aston Martin driver Lance Stroll answered questions from the team’s press office, talking about new products and tasks for the remaining stages of the season.
Q: What do you think of the upgrades the Austin team made to the AMR23 car?
Lance walk: Using new features during a sprint weekend is always a challenge due to limited practice time, but everyone on base has been working as hard as possible to prepare these updates. The last races of the season are coming up and we want to install new parts on the car as soon as possible.
Unfortunately, overheating issues in the first practice meant I only completed five laps before qualifying. We had little information to optimize the settings. The closed parking mode meant that after Friday we could no longer change the settings to make the car go faster. Only on Sunday did we change the settings, which led to the start from the pit lane.
After changing the settings the car drove much better. I think the race showed that updates really work. I had a lot more grip, especially in the corners, and was able to attack the opponents, although I had problems with that in previous races.
We definitely still need to work on optimization – training in Mexico will help with this. I am convinced that we are on the right track.
Question: Are you happy that you earned points in the US after starting from the pit lane?
Lance walk: Very happy, especially considering the difficulties we faced on Friday and Saturday. We knew that starting from the pit lane behind three other cars would be a difficult race, but the team had nothing to lose, which gave them more freedom to experiment with the settings.
I think we did well and my pace, especially on the Medium tires, was high. Thanks to the strategy I was able to attack with full force in the last part. I was overtaking Pierre Gasly for a few laps, and if the race had lasted one lap longer I would have overtaken him.
Question: How do you evaluate your season?
Lance walk: If we evaluate the season in the context of the team results, the season has proven to be strong. We have made tremendous progress compared to last year. The team has built a car that will have you fighting in the front row.
As for my results, in some races I was pleased with myself, and in others I was able to get more out of the car. And the feeling is not always based on the final position. A good example of my words is the stage in Bahrain. Everyone congratulated me on my sixth place after missing winter testing with two broken wrists, but after the race I thought I could have finished higher if I had done better with the Medium tires.
On the other hand, when problems with the car started mid-season, I had a few races that I was happy with, even though I didn’t earn any points. That’s what racing is like sometimes.
The season was mixed, but we made great strides forward and now our job is to apply what we learned in 2024.
Q: Do you like racing in Mexico City?
Lance walk: I like it in Mexico City – a great song and fans that charge you with energy. I have fond memories of the 2017 race, where I finished sixth. In 2022 the race did not go in my favor, but I gained five places on the first lap.
Plus, the Mexican leg usually takes place around my birthday, and as a bonus I get to eat chocolate cake, which is always great.
Q: How will the team perform in the coming phase?
Lance walk: The race in Mexico City can be difficult – in previous years we were not particularly strong at this track. Due to the location of the circuit at a high altitude above sea level, completely different settings are required – in such conditions it is difficult to generate downforce and the load on the turbine is much higher.
On the other hand, we will arrive in Mexico City with a car that is much better than the cars of previous years, so we must be optimistic about the prospects, also thanks to new products.
Q: What are your goals for the remaining races of the season?
Lance walk: The goals are always the same: keep attacking. There are still four stages ahead, including one with a sprint, so there is a chance to earn a lot of points. We have had some tough races after the summer break and I will be happy if we can end the season with strong results.
Source: F1 News
I am Christopher Clyde, an experienced journalist and content writer with a passion for sports. I have been writing about Formula 1 news for the past five years and am currently employed as an author at athletistic.com, one of the top sports websites in the US.
