'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Danish F1 pundit Jason Watt feels Fernando Alonso's Aston Martin teammate, Lance Stroll, needs to be sacked. The Canadian has not had a good time as a teammate of the Spaniard in the last couple of years. The driver has outperformed, but even when that was expected, the level of gulf between the two drivers has been astounding.
In the most recent race in China, the gulf of performance between the two drivers was more than obvious, and it showed as well in the results. In the sprint shootout on Friday, Alonso was one of the top 3 qualifiers, while Stroll could not even make it to the top 10.
To make matters worse, the Sprint race saw Lance Stroll lose out to the Alpine of Esteban Ocon, who overtook him on the last lap of the race. The subsequent qualifying for the main race on Sunday was not much different for Stroll, as he was once again knocked out in Q2, while Fernando Alonso qualified in the top 3.
Looking at the points standings as well, one thing is quite clear Aston Martin is a team running with one good driver and that cannot be a recipe for success for anybody.
In a column for Ekstra Bladet, Jason Watt was quite harsh on the Canadian and wrote that Lance Stroll should be sacked immediately. He wrote:
“Give him the sack immediately. [Alonso] is driving alongside the worst driver in the field, in my eyes."
Aston Martin back Lance Stroll as Fernando Alonso's future is secured
Amidst rumors of a lack of clarity when it comes to the Canadian's future, Aston Martin team principal Mike Krack was questioned about Stroll and his place in the team. Krack had his hand around Lance's shoulder as he said that the team was with the driver and the project was built around him.
Talking to Motorsport.com, Krack said:
"Last week, it was mainly about Fernando. But we also know that Aston Martin is Lance’s home. We know that and the whole project has always been around him. So we look for continuity. I’ve always said that that is very important. So we will see in the next weeks.”
After just five races into the season, Lance Stroll finds himself with less than one-third of the points that Fernando Alonso has accrued this season. It's going to be very hard for Aston Martin if this is the level of performance the Canadian persists with for the rest of the season.
