'The future is bright' Lance Stroll issues defiant message despite Aston Martin struggles
Originally published by Crash.net
Lance Stroll has insisted 'the future is bright' at Aston Martin despite the team's disaster start to the 2026 F1 season.
Expectations for the Silverstone team were at an all time high ahead of the 2026 season following the blockbuster signing of star designer Adrian Newey and new deal with engine provider Honda.
However the team have had one of the worst starts to an F1 season in recent memory with both drivers unable to complete a full race without a retirement until the Miami Grand Prix.
Aston Martin recorded its first two-car finish of 2026 in Miami
However, Lance Stroll has insisted that he is positive Aston Martin can turns things around in the near future and reaffirmed his commitment to make the project a success ahead of his home race in Canada this weekend.
In an interview posted on the team's site Stroll said: "We've got some incredibly talented people at the AMR Technology Campus and there's huge potential with the tools like the new CoreWeave AIR Tunnel and the simulator.
"We have all the elements to become a winning team, it's just about unlocking that potential.
Aston Martin and Stroll are having a torrid F1 season
"I firmly believe in this project, even though right now we're experiencing some difficult times. The future is very bright and I want to ride this tough spell out and be part of the journey we're on."
"Difficult moments always test you, but they also show you who really believes in what you're building.
"It's easy to believe when results are coming and everything feels good. The real challenge is staying committed when things are harder and you have to work through problems together.
"That's part of building a top Formula One team. I genuinely believe the foundations we're putting in place now can lead to something very special in the future."
"In Formula One, things move very quickly. A few months can completely change the picture, so if you get too emotional with either the highs or the lows, it's difficult to stay focused on what actually matters.
"As drivers, we all want to be fighting at the front. When you're going through tougher periods, of course it's frustrating because everyone in the team is working incredibly hard and wants more. But those moments are also part of building something.
"You've got to keep working, stay honest about where you need to improve and trust the process, even when the results aren't immediately there."
What's gone wrong at Aston Martin?
Newey has not been at a race since Australia
Aston Martin choosing to switch engine provider from Mercedes to Honda has proven to have been one of the biggest woes in the 2026 season.
The team has been plagued with reliability issues which immediately apparent during pre-season testing as well as a fundamental lack of pace.
The 2026 car has been suffering with severe vibrating issues which are not only causing reliability problems but are making the physical driving of the car incredibly difficult for Stroll and teammate Fernando Alonso.
However ahead of the Canadian Grand Prix Honda has made some progress on eliminating the vibration issues with Alonso saying the car "behaves like normal now" after the Miami Grand Prix.