25-year-old F1 driver told he isn’t hungry enough, he’s the opposite of Pastor Maldonado

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Reaching the pinnacle of Formula 1 is an incredibly difficult journey and many seriously talented drivers end up falling short.

Incredibly, Fernando Alonso is still racing in his 40s more than two decades after his debut with Minardi, while several drivers have lost their place on the grid and had to fight their way back.

Speaking on the Missed Apex Podcast, journalist Joe Saward has suggested one current driver isn’t hungry enough to ever be a race winner.

There are drivers near the back of the grid fighting tooth and nail just to get out of the first session of qualifying.

Logan Sargeant is simply fighting to have a car available to him in Suzuka after handing his chassis over to Alex Albon for the Australian Grand Prix.

However, Saward has suggested that Aston Martin driver Lance Stroll might not be motivated enough to win a Grand Prix and has compared him to Pastor Maldonado.

The 25-year-old has a pole position and three podiums to his name in nearly 150 Grand Prix.

But he’s never looked like taking the chequered flag first and if anyone’s going to secure Mike Krack’s team’s first victory, it’s much more likely to be the Canadian’s teammate.

READ MORE: Everything you need to know about Aston Martin F1 Team from team principal to lineage

Aston Martin star Lance Stroll told he’s the opposite of Pastor Maldonado

When Pastor Maldonado joined the grid with Williams in 2011, he did so off the back of the GP2 Series at his fourth attempt.

Modern champions Felipe Drugovich and Theo Pourchaire haven’t been so lucky when they’ve searched for a seat in F1 after taking their time to win the sport’s main feeder event.

He finished 18^th in the Drivers’ Championship scoring a single point in Belgium, although teammate Rubens Barrichello didn’t fare much better scoring four points of his own.

Then, the 2012 Spanish Grand Prix happened and Maldonado wrote himself into Formula 1 folklore.

The Venezuelan took the only pole position of his career – thanks to Lewis Hamilton’s disqualification – and saw off the challenge of Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso to secure victory.

Maldonado’s performance in Barcelona is something Aston Martin driver Lance Stroll can only dream of right now.

However, while his father is still the executive chairman of the team, he’s almost certainly still got plenty of opportunities to be on the grid in case the stars align and he can achieve that maiden victory.

READ MORE: Aston Martin driver Lance Stroll’s life outside F1 from net worth to girlfriend

Saward questions if Lance Stroll has the hunger to earn race victory

Speaking about the Canadian driver, Stroll said: “Lance [Stroll] is OK but he’s just not the full deal. So, the idea that Lance will win Grand Prix, I mean it’s possible I suppose but it’s highly unlikely.

“It’s a big Pastor Maldonado-ish, although maybe not that bad. No, but I don’t mean that even in terms of crashing, I mean that in terms of the outright package.

“In terms of him being fast enough and consistent enough and motivated enough to win a Grand Prix, I just don’t see it, I’m sorry.

“That’s based on 35 years of watching Formula 1 races, it’s not that I have anything against Lance.

“I think Pastor came across as someone who was very hungry, I don’t think Lance comes across as someone who’s very hungry.

“Although I was impressed a year ago when he fell off his bike and came back from that, that was impressive.

“But that was about the only time I’ve ever been impressed by Lance Stroll.”

Aston Martin may be questioning current driver line-up

While Lance Stroll and Pastor Maldonado share very few similarities – it would be unfair to compare Maldonado’s accident record to how many times Stroll has put his Aston Martin in the barriers – his determination was one of the hallmarks of his driving style.

Stroll is undoubtedly very quick and his rise through the junior ranks means he deserves credit for being one of the youngest drivers in F1 history.

Whether he deserves a seat in a consistently fast car when Alonso is nearly always outperforming him is another matter.

Eddie Jordan has suggested a potential replacement for the Canadian, while Alonso’s position heading into 2025 is far from certain given his contract is set to expire and other teams are circling.