Stroll leaving Aston Martin? These are the alternatives for 2024

What kind of driver does Aston Martin need?

To determine who would be the suitable successor to Lance Stroll, it is first necessary to determine what kind of profile fits that driver. Aston Martin has the ambition to eventually compete for the world title. Looking at the past, you need at least a star driver and preferably a second driver who is close enough to get points for the constructors' world title.

Besides Stroll's behaviour, there is plenty to criticise in that respect about his performance this 2023 season. Stroll scored 136 points less than Alonso. Aston Martin is 68 points behind Ferrari and 96 points behind Mercedes, so they could have put those points from Stroll to good use. Had Stroll been even slightly closer to his teammate this season, Aston Martin could have been in contention for second place among constructors.

Contrary to what was possible, Aston Martin are now anxiously looking back. McLaren, the team that was not even close to points at the start of the season, is only 11 points behind Aston Martin and chasing the fourth spot. McLaren can do so because of two drivers who consistently score points (Norris and Piastri both have more points than Stroll), just like Ferrari and Mercedes. For now, Aston Martin lacks that second driver.

With Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin has a clear leader on a multi-year contract. At 42, the Spaniard is not the youngest anymore, but on the track, he still shows weekly that he can squeeze the maximum out of the car. The best thing is to put an experienced driver next to this who can at least get closer to the Spaniard than Stroll does now.

Yuki Tsunoda

The first and most logical name to drop is Yuki Tsunoda. The Japanese driver is making a strong impression this season. Alongside Pierre Gasly, Tsunoda already made a much better impression in his second year at AlphaTauri, and with all the hustle and bustle surrounding the seat next to him, Tsunoda has proved to be a constant factor this year.

Tsunoda is clearly the leader at AlphaTauri, but he does not really seem to be in the mix for the seat at Red Bull Racing. Tsunoda marvels at this himself. Being at a dead end with Red Bull's sister team. Earlier, it happened to Carlos Sainz and Pierre Gasly. They were given a chance with another team, and for Tsunoda, that also seems the best next step.

Tsunoda already signed with AlphaTauri for 2024, but last year showed that it is quite negotiable with Red Bull. With Liam Lawson, Red Bull has an excellent replacement ready and with Daniel Ricciardo, the experienced man is already in-house. Aston Martin gets a fast, young driver with Tsunoda. With Alonso as a teammate, the Japanese will then have a new benchmark he can look up to while Alonso remains the face of Aston Martin.

Aston Martin would also anticipate the arrival of Honda with the recruitment of Tsunoda. Aston Martin and Honda will join forces from 2026, and Honda has made no secret of their desire to see a Japanese driver in that car. Tsunoda is still backed by Honda so it seems a simple addition.

Felipe Drugovich

Another name put forward is that of Felipe Drugovich. The 2022 Formula 2 champion is Aston Martin's reserve driver and has already driven several tests for the team. So Aston Martin knows exactly what they have in store with the Brazilian.

Still, there are doubts about the driver who captured the F2 title only in his third year. Yes, he has an F2 title under his belt, but the step from F2 to F1 is a big one, and Aston Martin is a team that competes near the top. Whether Drugovich is good enough to make the difference between drivers like Lewis Hamilton, Charles Leclerc, and Lando Norris is highly doubtful and cannot be expected from a rookie. Opting for a more experienced option is more obvious.

Sergio Perez

Sergio Perez had to make way at the then Racing Point for the arrival of Sebastian Vettel. A figurehead was needed with the switch to Aston Martin as the title sponsor. With Lance Stroll stuck in the other seat, Perez, who was extremely popular within the team, had to give way as a result.

Perez has almost three years at Red Bull Racing behind him. The Mexican still has a contract for 2024, but is he still completely happy at the Austrian racing team where he is clearly losing out to Verstappen? A return to his old love would be the ideal way out.

Of course, with Alonso, Perez encounters another clear number one at Aston Martin, but one who is coming of age. Perez additionally has friends within the team after his seven-year stint with the team. So, he is less likely to have the feeling he has at Red Bull at Aston Martin.

Perez is also clearly an upgrade over Stroll. In their two years together at the team, Perez was clearly the better of the two. Yes, Perez has been beaten by Verstappen in recent years, but who hasn't? Perez has performed very well at Force India/Racing Point in all those years before, and a step back might just ensure that he does shine again.

Alexander Albon

Albon may still be sponsored by Red Bull and part of Williams, but Aston Martin would obviously be a step up for Albon. The Thai driver is showing good development at Williams. Albon carries the team in terms of performance and also in the development of the car. This has already been noticed at several teams.

Still, the question is whether Albon himself should want this step. Albon previously drove alongside Max Verstappen at Red Bull Racing and had a tough time there. At Williams, he is bursting with self-confidence, partly because of the role he has within the team and the fact that he is held in high regard. Aston Martin may be a step up, but Alonso is the big man there.

Yet, Albon is also another couple of years on compared to his time at Red Bull Racing. Alonso is also no longer the youngest, and if Albon performs well, the position as the new leader of Aston Martin just beckons. Then, with a brand new factory and upcoming new wind tunnel, Aston Martin really do have more at its disposal than Williams.

Nico Hulkenberg

Another old friend of the team is Nico Hulkenberg. The German left Force India for Renault in 2017, returning to Haas after a three-season sabbatical. Guenther Steiner cleverly lightened the option in Hulkenberg's contract so that he could not leave for Alfa Romeo, leaving the German stuck with Haas for another year.

Therefore, Hulkenberg does not seem a plausible option for Aston Martin, but if any team can put money down to buy out a contract, it is Lawrence Stroll's team. At 36 years old, Hulkenberg does have an advanced age and would make Aston Martin's line-up very old, but he is a driver who has again shown he can reach a very good level at Haas.