Lance Stroll says it is for Aston Martin to answer why both cars were in the top ten in Friday’s practice in Mexico, but neither made it through to Q3 in qualifying.
Fernando Alonso was 12th fastest in Saturday’s qualifying session at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, with Stroll down in 19th place having been eliminated at the first hurdle.
Lance Stroll qualified P19, Fernando Alonso 12th
Although Aston Martin had a strong start to the Mexico City Grand Prix weekend where Alonso was eighth fastest in Friday practice, and Stroll P10, the Spaniard predicted that it wouldn’t last.
He warned, “We’ve been in the top five the last four grands prix on Fridays, and then it’s not the real picture on Saturdays.”
He added: “Tomorrow everyone will improve a little bit.”
Alonso, though, didn’t go into details as to why others made gains on the Saturdays and Aston Martin did not.
It was more of the same in Mexico City as the teammates went from being inside the top ten in Friday’s practice to being eliminated in Q1 and Q2 with Stroll falling before his teammate.
Lance Stroll v Fernando Alonso: F1 2025 head-to-head stats
👉 F1 2025: Head-to-head qualifying statistics between team-mates
👉 F1 2025: Head-to-head race statistics between team-mates
He was asked about Aston Martin’s decline.
“I mean, generally, the car goes backwards throughout the weekend,” he told PlanetF1.com and other media outlets after qualifying.
“I had no grip, no grip.
“That’s kind of what happens a lot. There’s good grip in the practice, and then you come into qualifying, and there’s just no grip.”
Asked why Aston Martin goes backwards, the Canadian replied: “I don’t know. Maybe… I don’t know. I don’t have all the answers, but it’s just generally.”
Pressed on why he doesn’t have any answers, he hit back: “Maybe you should go ask them.”
His teammate Alonso didn’t make it into Q3, as he’d predicted after Friday’s practice, finishing in 12th place.
Like Stroll, he too doesn’t have the answers.
“I’m not sure,” he said when asked why the car had gone backwards in Mexico.
“I think, yeah, Mexico has been always like that. Unfortunately, we’ve been last, I think in 2023, last in 2024 and now we are struggling in 2025, so there is something that still we don’t understand from this place.
“So let’s see next year, if Adrian understands more.”
Although design guru Adrian Newey joined Aston Martin back in March, he’s working on the team’s all-new F1 2026 challenger and barely casting an eye on this year’s car. Aston Martin therefore has to wait until next season to feel his influence.
Alonso isn’t expecting to add Aston Martin’s 69 points this weekend as the team attempts to chase down Racing Bulls for sixth in the standings.
“It’s gonna be tough,” he said. “I think, without any anomaly in the race, I think it’s we don’t deserve the points because we are not in the pace of the top 10.
“But yeah, the first three corners are quite tight, definitely too narrow for 20 cars, so let’s see how we go through the first chicane and then if there is anything to gain there and fight for the points we will give it all.
“I think the first lap at the start will be the key, not only for us, for the points, but also for the podium positions, for the race win, for everything. So yeah, we will be aggressive, but yeah, trying to make some position.”
Additional reporting by Elizabeth Blackstock
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