Stroll delivers rare impassioned defence to stay with Aston Martin

Lance Stroll has delivered arguably the most impassioned defence of his Formula 1 career in a bid to remain with a team that has been his home for the last six years.

Given father Lawrence's ownership of Aston Martin, it has generally been accepted that a new contract each season is a given for the 25-year-old.

On this occasion, however, given the open driver market that has been in effect this year, Stroll's position within the team is not a fait accompli as it has seemingly been in the past.

Now in his sixth season with the Silverstone-based team he joined when it was known as Racing Point before its transition to Aston Martin in 2020, this year has been a tough one for the Canadian.

With a new factory that opened last year, and with staff levels doubling compared to those in the Racing Point era, Aston Martin was expected to build towards grand prix wins and hoped-for championship challenges.

But Stroll finds himself just as much under scrutiny as anyone else in the team when it comes to his position. Occasionally displaying a blasé attitude in the past when discussing his future, he now insists he is "committed to his whole project".

"There are a lot of pieces of this puzzle that are really coming together, that have been coming together over the last few years," he said, speaking to media, including RacingNews365.

"In my mind, definitely I'm here for the future. That's where my head's at. I'm definitely committed and excited to be a part of this project."

Stroll recognises, though, that given his position within the team, there is an additional element of scrutiny upon him, and that he has to perform.

But he maintains there is the harshest of critics when it comes to scrutinising his own performances.

"I'm the most competitive person I know," he said. "I like to see myself do super well and perform super well, and it feels good, even if times are tough.

"I'm the first person that's hard on myself on a day when things don't go well, and I'm still as excited and as happy as ever when I have a great day, since the last seven, eight years that I've been in Formula 1.

"That feeling is still driving me to keep pushing, to keep going. I hate having bad days, just like I'm sure everyone does in this paddock.

"And it's a team effort. It's fun to be a part of this journey and this project and see all these elements, Silverstone coming together.

"Last year, we started the season really strong, and that was a very big step forward for us. We had a bit of a dip, and this year has been a little more challenging.

"But I still see a lot of positivity and excitement in Silverstone, which makes me positive and excited."

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