Lance Stroll is confident Aston Martin can challenge for the top two rows in Dutch Grand Prix qualifying, despite a significant crash in second practice that necessitated overnight repairs.
Why it matters
Stroll's incident on Friday created extra work for his team. However, his teammate Fernando Alonso demonstrated the AMR25's strong pace, finishing third in FP2, just 0.087s behind Lando Norris. This suggests Aston Martin could be a strong contender in qualifying, potentially surprising McLaren.
The details
- The crash: Stroll's FP2 session at Zandvoort was cut short after just 11 minutes when he hit the barriers at Turn 3's left-hand banking, severely damaging the right side of his car.
- Stroll's explanation: He described the incident as "just a little lock-up" that left him as "a passenger." Fortunately, he avoided injury, a relief given his past wrist issues.
- Team performance: Despite Stroll's setback, Alonso's performance was promising. He was only two-thousandths faster than Oscar Piastri, with the trio being the only drivers to lap under 70 seconds. In FP1, Stroll and Alonso were third and fourth, respectively, behind the McLaren pair.
- AMR25's potential: Stroll noted the AMR25's competitiveness, especially following its strong showing at the tight Hungaroring circuit before the summer break.
What's next
Stroll is optimistic about Saturday's qualifying. "For sure, we looked competitive throughout the day, and with Fernando in FP2," he stated. "We're in a good spot, and we'll see what we can do tomorrow," indicating a belief in fighting for a top-four grid position.