General
Stroll shows real leadership: Aston Martin the team of the future
- Ludo van Denderen
When Lawrence Stroll decided to buy the virtually bankrupt Force India saying he had ambitions to build the best F1 team on the grid, there was some scepticism: How many times had we heard this before, a fabulously wealthy businessman who thought he could build a championship team just like that? The now-renamed Aston Martin team have not yet won the title, but thanks to the amazing leadership from Stroll, an excellent foundation is now in place to actually compete for the championship.
Lawrence Stroll sat proudly on the stage at Aston Martin's factory in Silverstone. Via a globally broadcast livestream, he had just announced a big deal in Formula 1: Adrian Newey, the very best designer the sport has ever had, will be working for Aston Martin F1 from March 2025. Having previously brought in the likes of Dan Fallows (ex-Red Bull Racing), Enrico Cardile (ex-Ferrari) and Andy Cowell (ex-Mercedes), Aston Martin already has, on paper, the strongest technical leadership of any F1 team. All thanks to Lawrence Stroll.
Aston Martin project promising
Of course, Stroll is fortunate to have a hefty wallet and dares to use his money (plus that of Saudi main sponsor Aramco) to push the F1 team to greater heights. But money is never a guarantee that all those big names will actually come to you. It does require attracting the right people and getting them to work together in such a way that the result is optimal. That all those big names said 'yes' to Aston Martin, one by one, is because the project is so incredibly promising; with a brand new factory and wind tunnel, and the knowledge that you will be working there with the other proven best people in the sport.
Lawrence Stroll, who prefers to stay in the background, lives up to his words and - very importantly - he realises that the transition from a midfield team to a top team takes time. Rome was not built in a day either. Where other team owners may throw money around like headless chickens, with the misguided notion that this will buy short-term wins and titles, Stroll keeps the long-term picture in mind: This season's results are not great, but he is not despairing and is sticking to his established line.
Stroll acts like Mateschitz
Looking at this way, Stroll is a bit like Dietrich Mateschitz, the late owner of Red Bull Racing; also a visionary, also someone who knew how to connect people and eventually saw his F1 team become the best in the world. And Lawrence Stroll is surely not done yet, because with this technical team, Aston Martin has become an attractive option for the very best drivers on the grid. No doubt Max Verstappen is keeping a close eye on developments at Aston Martin.
Of course, there is the elephant in the room, called Lance Stroll. A good driver, but not the man who will eventually bring Aston Martin the world title. If Lawrence wants to take that final step, he cannot avoid replacing his son with a better driver. But what is the short-term plan, when Aston Martin is not yet the absolute best? First, let Newey and co get to work in that amazing facility at Silverstone, and once the team is ready for the World Championship challenge, then it will be time to make the inevitable decision about Stroll Junior.
Because really, Aston Martin is coming. This is the team of the future. And all thanks to the excellent leadership of Lawrence Stroll.
This article was written in collaboration with Olly Darcy
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16 September 2024
