F1 team principal suggests 25-year-old driver developed so much during 2023 season

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Aston Martin team principal Mike Krack has been so impressed with how much driver Lance Stroll impressed during the 2023 Formula 1 season.

Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso helped the British team finish fifth in the Constructors’ Championship as they made big strides last winter in their development.

Speaking to the team’s official website, Mike Krack was praising the Canadian driver who was left in his teammate’s shadow for much of the season.

Signing Fernando Alonso last winter was a serious coup and he immediately worked on improving the team.

His experience was vital and the Spaniard admitted he couldn’t believe how fast the car was when pre-season testing began.

Alonso’s six podium finishes in the first eight races surprised everyone, while Stroll delivered some decent performances too.

However, when Aston Martin’s competitors started to make up some ground on them, it was the 25-year-old who suffered the most.

But in the final few races of the 2023 season, Stroll’s performances really picked up and Krack was impressed with the improvement he showed.

While Alonso’s podium in Brazil made headlines after his battle with Sergio Perez, people forget Stroll was quickly catching both drivers.

He then delivered in Las Vegas, securing a top-ten finish in the Drivers’ Championship.

Krack impressed with Stroll’s improvement in 2023

Speaking about the one-time pole sitter, Krack said: “Lance is in a great place. He’s relaxed and self-confident. You can see it in his body language. It’s very impressive how he has developed as a driver this year.

“He had the injury pre-season, which put him on the back foot, but he showed real grit and determination to get back behind the wheel as quickly as possible. And, despite all he had been through, he was still very fast.

“Then, later in the season, he came back fighting after a tough phase. He had a lot of pressure to deal with and handled it with a lot of assurance.

“I wish the season would have been a bit longer for him because he’s been really fast in the final rounds. We can build on that.

“That’s what needs to happen now, he just needs to pick up where he left off this season. He’s overcome many challenges this year and now he’s very much on the up.”

Krack will hope that Stroll can build on the improvement he showed in 2023 and close the gap with Alonso in terms of pace.

The Spanish driver’s fourth-place finish in the Drivers’ Championship was sensational but both McLaren drivers outscored Stroll, costing them a place in the team standings.

Stroll was reportedly harming team morale earlier in the season with his antics behind the scenes, but that appears to have been put behind him.

He needs to improve his consistency soon otherwise there will be real question marks over whether he deserves to be on the grid ahead of someone like Felipe Drugovich waiting in the wings.