Pressure on for Lance Stroll as father Lawrence reveals Montreal target

Lance Stroll has been charged with the aim of getting both Aston Martins on the podium by his father Lawrence this weekend, at their home race.

Team-mate Fernando Alonso has made it onto the podium five times in seven races so far this season and, while Stroll’s best finish came in Australia with a P4, he has largely not been able to match the two-time World Champion in 2023 as yet.

He recovered from severe hand injuries at the start of the season to be able to compete in the first place, but has largely played second fiddle behind Alonso at Aston Martin so far this year.

Even though Aston Martin were largely off the pace in Spain last time out, in arguably their least competitive weekend of the season yet, team owner Lawrence Stroll is still targeting lofty ambitions for the weekend – including his son’s first podium of the campaign.

“Those are exactly the plans. Hopefully get two cars on the podium,” Stroll told Reuters.

“I’m extremely confident. I believe the car will be very strong around the Montreal circuit, it suits our car well… so I’m really looking forward to going home and really looking forward to a great race.”

PlanetF1.com recommends

He’s back! Red Bull announce Sebastian Vettel return

Is Fernando Alonso ‘maybe putting the car a step above its real place?’

As for son Lance, he beat Alonso over a race distance for the first time this season in Spain in coming home sixth, and the home hero just behind on the road after promising over team radio he would not attack.

Stroll Sr added that the team will look to address the AMR23 with potential upgrades at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve this weekend, and believes his son is beginning to match his team-mate – and will be running on a level playing field come the end of the season.

“I believe we are bringing solutions to those and some upgrades into Canada,” Stroll said.

“I think he demonstrated in Barcelona he’s now starting, it took six or seven races, to feel better… I believe they will be equal by the end of the season.”

As for Alonso, there is already talk of him extending his stay with Aston Martin beyond the end of the multi-year deal he signed to join the team at the beginning of this season.

With Honda joining the team as a factory power unit partner from 2026, there are already those who are wondering if he will be able to stay on with them for that handover.

Stroll would not be drawn on Alonso’s future just yet, but would not rule him out of staying several years into the future.

“I think most people would never have believed Fernando would be around today,” he said. “Probably a little long to see him around in ’26 but never say never.”