+34
Former champion Pedro de la Rosa praises Lance Stroll's raw speed and suggests that the Canadian can match Fernando Alonso, while Mercedes and Ferrari tie for most engine‑builder race wins after Andrea Kimi Antonelli's Madrid victory
The Canadian driver Lance Stroll, who has spent a decade racing in Formula One and currently lines up for the British constructor Aston Martin, is being praised as an underrated talent by former champion Pedro de la Rosa, the former Spanish driver who served as a brand ambassador for the team.
De la Rosa, who has a well‑known eye for data, stressed that Stroll's raw speed is comparable to that of two‑time world champion Fernando Alonso despite the fact that the 27‑year‑old has typically been eclipsed by his teammate in recent seasons. The comparison arose after a series of races in which Alonso has maintained an unassailable gap over Stroll - a record that is reflected in qualifying sessions, where the Spaniard has out‑qualified the Canadian on 10 occasions for a margin ranging from 0.2 to 0.37 seconds - the largest among all teammates on the grid.
De la Rosa also highlighted that while Stroll's performance swings are often blamed on the still‑unrefined 2026 car, the driver's raw talent is firmly on par with one of the sport's most experienced figures. The narrative that has unfolded over the last two years is that of a seasoned veteran defeating a younger, up‑and‑coming driver consistently in every round of their shared campaigns.
Alonso, whose career began in the mid‑1990s and extends over 23 seasons with 439 starts, has collected 32 race victories and 22 pole positions. He has scored eight of his 106 career podiums during the three‑and‑a‑half seasons that he has raced alongside Stroll, and his points haul outscored the Canadian in 2023 by 132 points (206 - 74). Even in 2024, where the gap has narrowed marginally, the pair remains the most unevenly matched teammates currently competing.
In 2023, Stroll's best finish was a fourth place, while Alonso consistently finished on the podium - a tidy tally that included three second places that season. The story of Stroll's potential was further underscored by de la Rosa's comments about the driver's consistency.
"When we improve the car and make it a bit more driver‑friendly … whenever the car is driving properly, he's as quick as Fernando," the former ambassador explained. He acknowledged that Stroll can out‑qualify Alonso at times but admitted that mistakes in qualifying and early‑weekend laps have often derailed him from capitalizing on the speed he possesses.
The post‑season analysis also pointed to the two‑year perception that the Canadian's performance has been hampered by the car's design, which has not yet yielded to the driver's data‑driven approach. Meanwhile, another pivotal story from the 2024 season was the victory of Andrea Kimi Antonelli by Mercedes at the Spanish Grand Prix in Madrid.
This triumph brought the German engine supplier its 251st race win, tying it with Ferrari for the most victories by an engine builder in FIA Formula One history. Historically, Ferrari had held that record for over two decades, maintaining an impressive momentum since the advent of its V10 engines in the mid‑1990s and the centre‑stage participation of Michael Schumacher.
The bond between Ferrari and its engines has deep roots that trace back to their foundational principle that the engine is the cornerstone of success - a statement that has guided the Italian brand through periods of turbo‑charged cycle swings and a transition to naturally aspirated units in the 1980s. As the 2024 season marches on, the juxtaposition of a young, fast driver's need for consistency against a veteran's mastery of the sport sets the narrative for the remainder of the year.
The conversation continues around whether a single driver's skill can outweigh a more experienced driver's knowledge of race‑craft and the importance of team dynamics and car reliability. The silver‑lining for both drivers is that their experiences underline the learn‑from‑failure dynamic that is at the core of Formula One's continued innovation.
Whether Stroll can rise to the level of Alonso remains a question of both skill and the evolving performance of Aston Martin's chassis, but the data from qualifying sessions suggests that the Canadian's potential is more than just a talking point. The historic tie between Mercedes and Ferrari for engine wins illustrates how the sport is rooted in longevity and engineering evolution.
Both manufacturers have fought through economic fluctuations, regulatory changes and intense competition, bringing reliability and speed to the forefront of the industry. They hold a record that will only grow as the sport moves forward, leveraging technology, aerodynamics and the indomitable spirit of its competitors.
In a place where every race can shift the balance of power, drivers like Stroll and Alonso continue to drive the conversation about speed, consistency, and the ever‑changing dynamic that makes Formula One a global spectacle.
Formula One Lance Stroll Pedro De La Rosa Fernando Alonso Mercedes Ferrari Aston Martin Español
Australia Latest News, Australia Headlines
Similar News: You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Brisbane farewells former Queensland police commissioner Steve GollschewskiBrisbane streets stopped on Monday as the Queensland Police Service farewelled former commissioner Steve Gollschewski, remembered at City Hall as committed, loyal, ethical, determined, selfless and strong after 46 years of service.
Read more »
Labor appoints former Liberal leader Sussan Ley to Snowy Hydro board roleThe Snowy Hydro 2.0 project is seven years behind schedule and $10 billion over budget.
Read more »
Justin Trudeau's Former Chief of Staff Joins Forces with Aussie Journalist for TV VentureKatie Telford, who served as Chief of Staff to former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, is collaborating with Australian journalist Alice Saintilan-Stocks to develop a scripted television series. The show, tentatively titled 'Chief of Staff', will explore the high-stakes world of political decision-making through the lens of a young female chief of staff working for a prime minister. The project builds on Saintilan-Stocks' previous book 'Behind the Scenes' and aims to shed light on the often-overlooked role of chiefs of staff in shaping government policy.
Read more »
Alan Jones indecent assault trial continues with former athlete testifyingThe former athlete, who was the first complainant to take the stand in Sydney, has given further evidence in the long‑running trial of broadcaster Alan Jones. He detailed two unwanted kisses and a series of messages from Jones that left him uncomfortable.
Read more »