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Lance Stroll was confirmed as the Aston Martin F1 driver as the Canadian signed a contract extension with the team that would see him race for them from 2025 and beyond. The 25-year-old's contract was expiring with the Silverstone-based team at the end of the 2024 season with many even questioning if he would continue with them.
There were doubts regarding his dedication to the sport given his dismal start to the season. At the moment, he trails his teammate Fernando Alonso in the standings with less than half the points (41 points to 17).
However, ahead of the Austrian GP this weekend, Aston Martin F1 on their official website confirmed Lance Stroll's stay with them. The Canadian mentioned that he was 'super happy' to commit to the British team for the future and said:
"I'm super happy to have committed to staying with the team for 2025 and beyond. It's amazing to see how far we've come in the last five years; we've grown so much as a team and there's still so much more to look forward to."
Aston Martin F1 team boss Mike Krack also expressed his delight in continuing his working relationship with Lance Stroll for the 2025 season and beyond, saying:
"We are delighted to confirm Lance's future with Aston Martin Aramco. He has played a key role in building this team. His technical feedback, alongside his committed simulator work, has helped contribute to the continuous development of the car each season."
Aston Martin team boss reflects on the Lance Stroll-Fernando Alonso combination
Aston Martin team boss Mike Krack stated that it was essential for Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso to sign new deals and continue with the team, as their stability would help in stabilizing the team.
As quoted by the aforementioned source, the German said:
"The consistency and stability of both Lance and Fernando remaining with our team is a great platform to continue to realize our ambitions. We look forward to creating some more incredible memories and achieving further success together."
With the future of both drivers secured for the next year, the Silverstone-based team would look to shift their focus on improving the AMR24 this year as they have found themselves struggling to get into points.
The British team started the season as the fourth-fastest car on par with Mercedes but after the recent upgrades failed to push them forward and out-develop their rivals, they have found themselves slipping into the midfield.
Aston Martin are currently P5 in the Constructor's Championship with 58 points and with no podiums to their name yet. They are over 90 points behind Mercedes in their battle for P4 while only staying ahead of RB, in P6, by 30 points after 10 races and two Sprints thus far.
