Alonso's Shadow: Stroll's Actions Under Fire After Ricciardo Incident
Apr.22 - The pressure is piling on the shoulders of Lance Stroll.
Daniel Ricciardo, struggling to hang onto his Formula 1 career, lost control of his tongue in Shanghai when talking to reporters about being rear-ended by Stroll's Aston Martin behind the safety car.
"I slowly started to calm down and then I was told what Lance thinks of it," the Australian said. "Apparently, I'm an idiot and it was my fault, so that made my blood boil because it's clear as day and it's also behind a safety car.
"So I'm doing my best not to say what I want to say, but f**k that guy - and I'm still being nice."
Although Stroll, 25, is the son of billionaire team owner Lawrence Stroll, he is yet to be officially confirmed for 2025 - even though Fernando Alonso's tenure has been extended for at least two more years.
Jason Watt, a Danish racing driver, is clear: "Give him the sack immediately."
He said Alonso is "driving alongside the worst driver in the field, in my eyes."
Another racing driver, Toni Vilander, called Stroll's "attitude" in response to the Ricciardo scenario "annoying".
"He is indifferent to the whole situation," the Finn said on Viaplay. "There is actually nothing to discuss - totally Stroll's fault. He completely misjudged the situation because he was not awake.
"It would be a lot easier to get out of that situation if you said, like Kimi (Raikkonen) would, 'I crashed, sorry, my fault'."
As for Aston Martin team boss Mike Krack, he predictably backed his drivers and slammed the stewards for the penalties imposed on Stroll.
"The stewards have been tough on Lance and Fernando recently," he told Sky Deutschland. "We had it in Melbourne, we had it with Lance - a very, very quick verdict today without really understanding.
"I think it was very, very fast and very hard decision. That's how things are."
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He was simply inattentive to his surroundings & not for the first time.
He had ample distance & time to avoid rear-ending had he been wholly attentive, so all on him.
He should simply admit he isn't going to become a consistent F1 driver no matter how long he continues, & stop voluntarily.
What a position to be in , you mess up time and time again , your not even matching your fellow employee, and no matter you still keep your job ,hell i need an employer like he has, the phrase job for life was dead i thought, but its apparently alive and kicking at AM ,AM are in the big league now Millions spent on new site, defacto works Honda team coming, they cant and shouldn't be carrying drivers, however I can hear Mike Krack flipping through the 2024 Mercedes book of excuses and coming out with , but its only race 5....
Stroll would be still racing go karts if it weren’t for his dad buying the team. Great he has a Dad that buys him expensive toys but... It is no mystery the kid is spoiled and bored with f1. Poor DR dying to get back into F1, but I’m afraid wanting and doing are two separate issues. He hasn’t achieved any of his goals with RB, Renault, McClaren and RB 2.0. Nice guy, but his ship has sailed. Stroll plowing into him didn’t help either.
yep couldn't agree more Susan , I remember saying , hes got to Monster his team mate from race 1, and now we are on race 6, Lets give him till race 12, and then LL, fairs fair......
Doing well in testing is not the same as racing. CH has given him every opportunity to improve, and hasn’t. Stroll ramming into him was so disappointing, but DR was driving his normal race, mid to backfield position.