What Would Aston Martin Look Like If Lance Stroll Drove Both Cars?

Image: Reuters

A never-ending debate rages on: What is more vital for success, the driver or the car? Lance Stroll and Aston Martin has really got this debate going. The truth, of course, lies somewhere in between. Achieving success in this non-spec racing series necessitates a harmonious blend of both elements: a skilled driver and a competitive car. 

Over the years, we have witnessed numerous instances where different drivers, paired with the same machine, delivered dramatically distinct performances. Legends such as Schumacher, Barrichello, Hamilton, Coulthard, Alonso, and Verstappen, alongside teammates like Perez, Albon, and Gasly, have showcased this intriguing phenomenon. 

Today, we have a thought experiment that delves into one of the most glaring examples of performance disparities between teammates in recent Formula One history—Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll. Our aim is to explore how the fortunes of the Aston Martin team might have differed if they had deployed not one, but two clones of Lance Stroll. In this hypothetical scenario, we assume that both drivers possess identical driving skills and that their cars are equally matched. Furthermore, we introduce a unique twist: if Lance Stroll encounters a technical issue that forces him to retire from a race, his clone experiences the same fate. Now, let's dive into the analysis. 

The 2023 F1 Season: Two Strolls vs. Two Alonsos 

For the analysis, we consider all 16 races of the 2023 F1 season. Whenever Fernando Alonso finishes ahead of Lance Stroll, we make a simple adjustment: Fernando's position is shifted just ahead of Lance's, preserving the original points distribution but acknowledging the altered race outcome. 

Bahrain: A Strong Start 

The season kicks off in Bahrain, and it's an impressive start for Lance Stroll, considering his recent hand injury. He secures a commendable P6 finish. In contrast, Fernando Alonso outshines him with a P3 finish. In this alternate reality with two Strolls, we adjust Fernando's position to P5, thereby bumping Carlos Sainz to P3 and Lewis Hamilton to P4, while maintaining the same points allocation. 

Image: Getty Images

Saudi Arabia: Technical Trouble 

We head to Saudi Arabia, where Lance qualifies P6, slightly ahead of Fernando. Unfortunately, Lance faces a power issue during the race, leading to his retirement. In this hypothetical scenario, Fernando's race is also impacted, forcing him to retire. Consequently, Fernando's presumed P3 podium finish becomes a P5 finish to ensure both drivers face the same outcome. The total points for Aston Martin remain unchanged, allowing them to reclaim P3 in the Constructors' Championship. 

Baku: Sprint Challenge 

In Baku, the first Sprint weekend of the season unfolds. Lance qualifies P9 in both the Sprint and regular qualifying sessions. His clone finishes P7 in the Sprint, while Lance secures P8 in the race. This modification keeps the points distribution consistent but drops them to fourth place in the Constructors' standings. 

Miami: Mixed Fortunes 

The Miami Grand Prix presents a mixed bag of results. Lance faces a challenging qualifying session, starting P18 and eventually finishing P12 in the race. In this alternate reality, Lance's clone also secures a P11 finish, earning no points. Unfortunately, this adjustment further compounds their position in the Constructors' Championship. 

Monaco: A Missed Opportunity 

Monaco proves to be a challenging race weekend for Lance as he qualifies P14 and eventually crashes out of the race. Fernando finishes P2 in real life, but in this scenario, the clone secures P8, leaving Aston Martin with significantly fewer points compared to the actual race weekend. 

Image: Motorsport Images

Spain: Holding Steady 

In Spain, Lance qualifies P6, while Fernando faces an issue in Q3, starting P10. In both real life and this hypothetical scenario, they finish next to each other, maintaining their point totals. 

Canada: A Home Race to Forget 

Canada sees Lance starting poorly at P13 in qualifying, while Fernando qualifies an impressive P3. However, Lance manages to recover to P9 in the race. In this scenario, the clone finishes P8, resulting in fewer points for Aston Martin. 

Austria: A Narrow Margin 

The Austrian Grand Prix sees Lance qualifying well at P6, just ahead of Fernando. The Sprint weekend provides a mix of results, with Lance securing P8 in the Sprint and P9 in the race. The clone experiences the same outcome. However, McLaren's strong performance narrows the gap in the Constructors' Championship. 

Britain: Struggles at Silverstone 

Lance has a forgettable British Grand Prix, starting P14 and finishing P11 after a five-second penalty. In this scenario, Fernando's P7 finish gets adjusted to P13, resulting in fewer points for Aston Martin. McLaren's strong showing in this race further threatens their position. 

The Dutch Grand Prix: Points on the Table 

The Dutch Grand Prix features Lance starting P11 and finishing there, while Fernando secures a P2 finish. The clone takes P10 in this alternate reality, contributing to Aston Martin's points total. 

Image: Getty Images

Hungary: A Chaotic Affair 

Hungary witnesses Lance starting at P14 and finishing P10, while Fernando finishes P7 in reality. In this scenario, the clone secures P8. Points distribution remains consistent. 

Belgium: McLaren's Pursuit 

Belgium features another Sprint weekend, where Lance and Fernando struggle in qualifying but manage to score points in the race. McLaren's strong showing, however, narrows the gap in the Constructors' Championship. 

Singapore: A Night to Forget 

Singapore sees Lance retiring from the race due to a crash, while Fernando finishes P7. In this alternate reality, Fernando's points are adjusted to P13, resulting in fewer points for Aston Martin. 

Japan: A Disappointing Outcome 

Japan sees Lance qualify poorly at P16, while Fernando squeezes into Q3 and finishes P8. In this scenario, the clone secures P10, contributing to Aston Martin's points. 

2x Lance Stroll

Aston Martin Would be 6th in the Constructors Championship after the Japanese Grand Prix

2x Fernando Alonso

With a Alonso clone, Aston Martin would be 2nd in the Constructors Championship ahead of Mercedes at 316 points.

In summary, with two Lance Stroll clones, Aston Martin's performance in the Constructors' Championship is significantly worse than in reality. However, if they had two Fernando Alonso clones, they would be in a much stronger position, currently matching Mercedes in points and securing a more lucrative spot in the Constructors' standings. 

This exercise underscores the importance of having the right driver for a given car and how this can impact a team's performance in Formula One. While two identical drivers may not always yield better results, having a driver who can extract the maximum potential from the car is essential for success in this non-spec series. In Formula One, the driver-car synergy remains a critical factor that can make or break a season.