‘Wake up!’ – Tense Lance Stroll exchange in untelevised Italian GP team radio
Aston Martin driver Lance Stroll in a press conference at the 2026 Italian Grand Prix
Untelevised team radio footage from the Italian Grand Prix has uncovered the moment Lance Stroll shouted at his Aston Martin race engineer to “wake up.”
Stroll retired at Monza with a suspected hydraulic issue after 26 laps as Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli won from 19th on the grid.
Lance Stroll team radio emerges after Italian Grand Prix
Aston Martin suffered a double retirement in Italy, with Stroll’s teammate Fernando Alonso also withdrawing with damage.
After claiming its second points finish of the F1 2026 season at the previous race at Zandvoort, Aston Martin’s power shortfall was exposed at Monza as Alonso and Stroll qualified in 21st and 22nd respectively.
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The problem was also evident in the early stages of the race, with Stroll left behind by the Cadillac of Sergio Perez on acceleration from Parabolica after the restart.
As he overtook Alex Albon’s struggling Williams on the main straight, Stroll reported an issue with the battery as Alonso sailed past him.
Stroll said: “Battery…”
Gary Gannon, his race engineer, then instructed Stroll to make a setting change, replying: “Mode nine, mode nine.”
As Albon found a second wind and repassed Stroll on the approach to the first chicane, Gannon was heard repeating his instruction to Stroll.
Gannon said: “Mode nine when you can to get the pack up.”
Stroll replied: “You’re always telling me this so late! Like, **** wake up!”
On Lap 27, Stroll was told by Gannon to stop the car on the run to the first corner.
Gannon said: “Stop the car, Lance, stop the car. We have a hydraulic issue. Don’t shift and the pedal will be long. Pedal will be long and steering will become heavy, so stop the car somewhere safe.”
Speaking to PlanetF1.com and other media outlets after his retirement, Stroll confirmed that problems with energy management had contributed to his loss of positions at the restart.
He said: “Energy issues.”
Put to him by PlanetF1.com that Monza was always likely to be a tough weekend for Aston Martin, he replied: “Yeah, for sure, with Honda and stuff. Just lacking power.”
Asked what lessons Aston Martin could take from Monza, he laughed: “We need more power! We know that, we know that. It’s just more proof of that.”
Looking ahead to this weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix, Stroll suggested that the new Madring circuit is likely to be more favourable to Aston Martin.
He said: “On paper, it looks better for us. More corners.
“It’s pretty straightforward: the places with more corners, less straights, better for us; places with long straights, less corners, not so good for us.”
Additional reporting by Thomas Maher
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