Fernando Alonso believes that new teammate Lance Stroll has the potential to be a World Champion. The Spaniard will race for Aston Martin in 2023 after signing to the team on a multi-year contract, while Stroll enters into his fifth season with the squad, which is owned by his businessman father Lawrence Stroll. While Alonso shows no signs of wanting to retire from Formula 1 just yet, he admits that he would still feel proud if Aston Martin – and Stroll – started winning when his own time there comes to an end. "I will still be very proud if the team wins without me in the car," Alonso explained in an Aston Martin interview. "I will be very proud of the process and my contribution to the project. "In Lance, the team has a driver who is super young, super talented and has the possibility to be World Champion. To see him achieve that and have played a part in that, whether that's behind the wheel or not, will be special for me."
Alonso praises Stroll's 'speed and talent'
While this will be the first year that Alonso and Stroll have been teammates, Alonso is already familiar with the Canadian's family. "I've known Lance for 11 years," the two-time World Champion said. "We met in 2012 when I was at Ferrari – he was in the Ferrari Academy. And I've known his father, Lawrence, for many years. He's a great friend of mine. "I've been to his house in Canada a few times, doing different sports and enjoying time together." During his time in F1, Stroll has achieved three podium finishes as well as claiming a memorable pole position during a wet qualifying session at the 2020 Turkish Grand Prix. Alonso admits he has been impressed by the 24-year-old's performances, particularly in inclement weather. "He has the speed, and he has the talent. He has shown it many times, especially in wet conditions," he continued. "I remember Lance's pole position in Turkey and some of his other excellent performances in the wet; to perform at that level in difficult conditions you have to have a special feeling with the car."
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