Lance Stroll seems to be going nowhere fast in his Formula 1 career, but Aston Martin brand ambassador Pedro de la Rosa believes it’s only “a matter of time” before the sport sees an “explosion” of the Canadian’s talent.
Stroll's career among motorsport’s elite has been a curious mix of promise and underachievement.
Despite flashes of brilliance, including a sensational pole position in Turkey in 2020 and three podium finishes, Stroll has yet to consistently deliver on the hype surrounding his arrival in F1.
The 25-year-old who is currently in his eighth season of F1 seems stuck in an enduring period of relative stagnation.
Stroll achieved his most recent podium in Sakhir in 2020, and since his father’s outfit has been racing under the Aston Martin banner, he has been consistently outpaced and outscored by his successive teammate, Sebastian Vettel and currently Fernando Alonso.
While many believe time is running out for Stroll, and that his father cannot justify his son’s underperformance forever, de la Rosa remains convinced that the Canadian is on the brink of unlocking his true potential.
"He's just unreal how much potential he has," said De la Rosa, speaking to RacingNews365. "When you compare him against Fernando, there are corners where Lance is quicker.
"He's learning a lot with Fernando, they work together very well, and it's just a matter of time before we see the best Lance and a big explosion of talent.
“The moment he puts everything together, he will be outstanding."
De la Rosa believes that the struggles faced by Stroll and Alonso this season with Aston’s AMR24 can’t be underestimated, suggesting that Team Silverstone’s machine is partly to blame for both drivers’ inconsistent results.
However, the Spaniard also thinks that a podium finish would have a transformative effect on Stroll just as it did on Alonso at the beginning of the 2023 F1 season.
"It gives you that extra confidence," he explained. "When Fernando had that first podium in Bahrain, after that, he was walking on water. Even a guy like Fernando needs that extra confidence."
And having witnessed firsthand Stroll’s commitment and hard work away from the track, as well as his positive collaboration with Alonso, de la Rosa is confident in the Canadian’s ability to elevate his performance and make significant strides in the future.
"One thing that people don't realise is how hard Lance works, how much dedication he puts in on the simulator, working with the team, on himself, looking at the data and improving," added the former F1 driver.
"That's a sign that has made me understand his potential because I see how hard he works inside the team, and also how well he works with Fernando, how much they talk between them. This is something outstanding.
"They have a great partnership between them and a great trust."
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