Lance Stroll has revealed that he used to be a “fanboy” of two-time World Champion Fernando Alonso when he was growing up, with the Canadian having first met his Aston Martin team-mate when he was 12 years old.
Stroll became a huge fan of the Spaniard’s when he claimed back-to-back titles in 2005 and 2006, after he defeated seven-time World Champion Michael Schumacher.
Fast forward to 2023 and the duo are now team-mates, with Alonso having been signed by Stroll’s father to replace four-time World Champion Sebastian Vettel.
Their partnership has certainly started exceptionally well, with the Silverstone-based team being second in the Constructors’ Championship.
Want to work in Formula 1? Browse the latest F1 job vacancies
Alonso’s four podiums from the opening five races has catapulted the British side to the front of the field, with only Red Bull behind ahead of them.
Aston Martin have consistently beaten Mercedes and Ferrari so far this year, with Alonso’s arrival and strong performances having created a “great dynamic” amongst the team.
“I wouldn’t say we had a relationship back when I was 12,” Stroll told the official F1 website.
“I was just a fanboy. But yeah, there’s a great dynamic in the team at the moment.”
Whilst Stroll hasn’t been able to match Alonso’s impeccable performances, the Canadian has been heavily praised by the former Alpine driver, who views the 24-year-old as a star of the future.
Alonso has often spoken highly about Stroll over the team radio and to the media this season, most recently during the Miami Grand Prix.
Alonso congratulated Stroll on an excellent overtake mid-race, having seen his team-mate make the move whilst driving past a TV screen.
READ: Former Mercedes engineer reveals ‘touching’ Lewis Hamilton moment
Stroll is certainly enjoying working the Alonso, with the Canadian admitting that he has a “lot of respect” for how determined Alonso still is, despite having raced in F1 for over 20 years.
“I definitely enjoy working alongside him,” Stroll continued. “He’s incredibly talented, knowledgeable, experienced, and hungry to get the most out of himself every day. I have a huge amount of respect for him, because he’s been doing that for a long time.
“He’s been at the top of his game for… how many years has he been in F1 now? Like, I don’t know, more than 20 years? So, I think just to see that determination and focus and motivation every day, I have a lot of respect for that.”