Renowned Designer Adrian Newey Defends Under-Fire Aston Martin Racer Lance Stroll

In the midst of controversy surrounding Aston Martin racer Lance Stroll, renowned designer Adrian Newey has leapt to his defense. Claiming that Stroll has an “unfairly bad rap,” Newey praised the Canadian driver for his performance against some formidable teammates.

Lance Stroll’s Controversial Weekend at Monaco Grand Prix

This weekend, at the Monaco Grand Prix, Stroll found himself in hot water after an incident involving Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari during FP1. The contact resulted in a gearbox change and a one-place grid drop for Stroll. Despite these setbacks, he will start the race in the same position as his qualifying spot due to Oliver Bearman’s 10-place penalty.

Team principal Andy Cowell admitted that the team’s radio call was not clear enough, leading to the incident. The rear wishbone was broken, and the floor sustained damage. Given that two gearboxes had been prepared for such a scenario, it was decided to change the gearbox, resulting in Stroll losing FP1 practice laps.

Adrian Newey’s Support for Lance Stroll

Attending his first race since taking on the role of managing technical partner at Aston Martin, Newey expressed his support for Stroll. Comparing him to past teammates such as Checo Perez, Nico Hulkenberg, Sebastian Vettel, and now Fernando Alonso, Newey emphasized that Stroll has held his own.

Newey, who has previously worked with Williams, McLaren, and Red Bull to F1 glory, also expressed his admiration for two-time world champion Fernando Alonso. He praised Alonso as a “cool character” and shared that he had always wanted to work with both Lewis Hamilton and Alonso, even if it was not possible to do so simultaneously.