Stroll extends Aston Martin stay until at least 2026

By Sports Desk June 27, 2024

Aston Martin have confirmed that Lance Stroll will remain as a driver with the team for at least two more years.

The 25-year-old, who is the son of the team's owner, Lawrence Stroll, will partner Fernando Alonso, who also signed a new contract in April. 

Stroll is currently 11th in the driver's championship, having picked up 17 points from the first 10 races of the season ahead of the Austrian Grand Prix this weekend. 

"I'm super happy to have committed to staying with the team for 2025 and beyond," Stroll said. 

"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."

Stroll joined the team in 2019 after his father bought it and saved it from bankruptcy in August 2018.

The team rebranded as Aston Martin in 2022 and finished fifth in last year's constructors' championship, with team principal Mike Krack delighted with the news. 

"We are delighted to confirm Lance's future with Aston Martin Aramco," Krack said. "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.

"The consistency and stability of both Lance and Fernando remaining with our team is a great platform to continue to realise our ambitions.

"We look forward to creating some more incredible memories and achieving further success together."

Aston Martin will switch from Mercedes to Honda engines in 2026 as part of a works deal with the Japanese manufacturer under F1's next set of technical regulations.

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    Max Verstappen said Red Bull made a "good statement" after he secured pole position at the Austrian Grand Prix.

    Verstappen, who won the sprint race earlier on Saturday, qualified ahead of McLaren's Lando Norris to take his first pole in four races.

    The reigning Formula One world champion was in fine form throughout the session, and will now go for a record-extending fifth Austrian Grand Prix victory.

    Verstappen has recorded the most podium finishes (six) and the most fastest laps (four) at the Austrian Grand Prix, and has now also taking the outright most pole positions (four) at the race.

    "The whole session went really well. The car was in a better window and I could push a bit more and it was very enjoyable. Every lap I did was feeling good," the Dutchman said.

    "It's been a while since we were on pole, and a while since I felt like this in the car, and it's great. The team has been working hard to make the car more competitive and it's a good statement.

    "Hopefully it will be a tight battle again but I am not thinking too much about that. I am just thinking about how the car was performing today and hopefully it will translate into race pace."

    The Austrian Grand Prix winner has started on the front row on nine of the last 11 occasions (six from pole and three from second).

    Norris, who was third in the sprint race, finished ahead of Mercedes George Russell to secure second place behind Verstappen.

    He said: "It was as much as we could do. Max was in a league of his own. [He had] more than what we had. Tricky conditions."

    Lewis Hamilton secured fifth on the grid, and his hopeful Mercedes can challenge on Sunday.

    "All these guys are so quick. It's very close between us all," he said.

    "I'm relatively happy with my lap. The middle sector was not as good as I would have liked. If I had got those two perfect would probably have been in the top three but it’s very hard to get a lap.

    "We can fight the Ferraris but I don't know if we can fight the McLarens. We'll have to see."

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    3. George Russell (Mercedes)

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    5. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)

    6. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)

    7. Oscar Piastri (McLaren)

    8. Sergio Perez (Red Bull)

    9. Nico Hulkenberg (Haas)

    10. Esteban Ocon (Alpine)

  • Verstappen secures sprint race victory in Red Bull's home grand prix Verstappen secures sprint race victory in Red Bull's home grand prix

    Red Bull enjoyed a strong start to their home grand prix as Max Verstappen clinched victory in the sprint race on Saturday.

    No driver has won more the Austrian Grand Prix on more occasions than Verstappen (four), and the reigning Formula One world champion looks well placed to push on for a fifth victory after holding off McLaren duo Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri.

    Norris, who is second behind Verstappen in the drivers' championship, battled hard in the early laps before dropping off the pace and eventually finishing behind team-mate Piastri, while Mercedes' George Russell came in fifth.

    Verstappen's win saw him move 71 points clear of Norris in the drivers' standings ahead of qualifying for Sunday's main event.

    The Dutchman briefly relinquished the lead to Norris on lap five at Spielberg, but expertly regained it a turn later.

    Ferrari's Carlos Sainz finished fifth, with Lewis Hamilton rounding out the top six.

    Data Debrief: Verstappen the king of the sprint

    This marked the 15th sprint race since its introduction in F1. No driver has more wins (10), more pole positions (eight), more fastest laps (eight), more podiums (14) and more points (97) than Verstappen in the format.

    The Red Bull driver is right at home in Austria, where he has achieved the most podium finishes (six) and the most fastest laps (four), and has the chance to single-handedly take the most pole positions at the event (four) should he top qualifying.

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  • Verstappen holds off Norris to secure sprint pole in Austria Verstappen holds off Norris to secure sprint pole in Austria

    Max Verstappen edged out Lando Norris to take pole position for the sprint race at the Austrian Grand Prix on Saturday. 

    Verstappen, who claimed his eighth sprint pole for Red Bull, topped all three segments of qualifying, but was pushed all the way by Norris in the decisive session.  

    However, Norris finished 0.093 seconds behind the Dutchman, with Oscar Piastri coming in third for McClaren. 

    Mercedes' George Russell finished in fourth with Ferrari's Carlos Sainz just behind. Lewis Hamilton will start Saturday's sprint sixth on the grid.

    Charles Leclerc failed to get around to the line in time before starting his flying lap and will therefore start 10th. 

    It was another disappointing afternoon for Verstappen's team-mate Sergio Perez, who was seventh and a huge 1.322s slower than the Dutchman, with the Alpine pairing of Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly set to start in eighth and ninth. 

    “It is great to be first here in front of basically my home fans, my home Grand Prix. It has been a good day so far," Verstappen said at Red Bull's home track, where he holds a record four F1 wins.

    "It has been nice to drive the car. Immediately it was well-balanced.

    "Of course you make some small changes before spring qualifying and everything has been working really well."

    Verstappen's victory came after team principal Christian Horner was questioned on the Dutchman's future with the team following rumours of a potential move to Mercedes, who Hamilton will leave next season.

    The three-time world champion has insisted this week that he is happy at Red Bull and is already focusing on next year's car. 

    "It only reaffirms everything that we already know," Horner responded. "Max is an important part of our team. He’s had all of his victories and podiums in Red Bull Racing cars, his three World Championships so far."

    With eight points available for the sprint race winner, Verstappen will look to increase his lead at the top of the drivers' championship, having pulled 69 clear of Norris following his victory at the Spanish Grand Prix last week.

    He has seven race wins already this season, and has come out on top in three of the last four despite huge pressure from Norris.

    "Max has been absolutely outstanding," Horner said when quizzed on whether this is the best version of Verstappen that we have witnessed in F1. “I think what you’re seeing is a driver that just continues to evolve and continues to develop.

    "I think that you’re seeing drives at the calibre that the greats in the sport were capable of delivering – the Ayrton Sennas and the Jim Clarks. You’ve only got to look through the generations.

    "What we’re seeing with Max are those key moments, the big moments are what defines any outstanding sportsman or sportswoman, and that’s what he’s delivering."

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