Aston Martin’s practice session ahead of the Austrian Grand Prix took an unfavourable turn as both Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll were caught speeding in the pit lane, resulting in financial penalties totalling €300.
Stroll bore the brunt of the fine, being recorded at a speed of 81.3kph, just slightly over the prescribed limit of 80kph at the Red Bull Ring, leading to a €200 fine.
Meanwhile, Alonso’s transgression was less severe, as he exceeded the speed limit by a mere 0.9kph, resulting in a €100 fine for the team.
This incident marked the second time a team faced penalties during the practice session, following a similar financial penalty imposed on Mercedes due to Lewis Hamilton’s pit lane speeding earlier in the hour.
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For Aston Martin, the pit lane speeding fines added to their frustration, as both Alonso and Stroll failed to secure top-five positions on the starting grid during the qualifying session.
Stroll finished in sixth place, managing to stay marginally ahead of his teammate Alonso, who settled for seventh.
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Now, the Aston Martin duo faces the daunting task of competing against the formidable Mercedes drivers, as well as the talented Ferrari duo of Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc, in their quest for a coveted podium finish on Sunday’s race.
Alonso, in particular, will be keen to continue his strong form of podium finishes this season, having pledged to secure a top three result in every remaining race of the season.
On the other side of the garage, Stroll will be determined to show that he can compete on the level of Alonso, putting an end to speculation about the Canadian’s place at the team.