Lance Stroll 'isn't expected to improve' in 2025.

      "The issues that hinder my driving remain unchanged."

      While Fernando Alonso's grin is making a comeback, his Aston Martin teammate Lance Stroll finds himself in a tough spot as uncertainty looms over his future in F1. Stroll, the offspring of billionaire team owner Lawrence, made his return from a wrist injury to compete in his home Canadian GP last weekend but managed to qualify in a disappointing P18. In sharp contrast, Alonso claimed sixth place in Q3, showcasing a boost in form while scoring points, despite being one of the last drivers to get on the board in 2025.

      "It seems to be a habit to finish in points now," the Spaniard remarked, "but that's thanks to good qualifying. If we hadn’t started sixth on the grid, we wouldn’t have scored points. There were several speedy cars during the race - the Williams, the Haas, and surprisingly Esteban (Ocon) was up front, along with (Nico) Hulkenberg, who is unexpectedly in the fight. If we start in 12th or 13th, we won’t score."

      Indeed, Stroll ended up finishing at the back of the pack. This disappointing outcome in Montreal coincides with rising speculation that connects Mercedes’ in-form George Russell with Aston Martin for 2026. Russell has not yet received a contract offer from Mercedes for next year, especially with Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc suddenly rumored to be considering a surprising move to the team.

      "I’m not negotiating with anyone else, and any teams that have shown interest, I've been quite clear about my intentions to stay with Mercedes," stated Russell, who secured pole position and won the race. However, amid speculation that Stroll's wrist injury stemmed from a fit in the garage in Barcelona, the 26-year-old Canadian’s spirits remained low in Montreal.

      "We’re slow," he told Le Journal de Montreal, "and I anticipate that will be the case in Austria too because the car has features that don’t improve. The problems that limit my driving don’t change. It’s not going to get better," Stroll remarked. "It will probably be like this repeatedly." With rumors swirling that his father might need to replace him with a more competitive driver, Stroll acknowledged that he is clearly falling behind the increasingly optimistic Alonso.

      "I don’t feel any difference in the car," Stroll noted. "Maybe Fernando feels something because he’s achieving good results. I don’t know; I was just very slow today," he added after the race on Sunday.