UNDERCUT | Lance Stroll: "You've got to believe through the difficult periods"

Nearly 200 Grands Prix into his Formula One career, Lance Stroll has learned that belief matters most when results are hardest to find. In this edition of our candid UNDERCUT series, he reflects on Aston Martin Aramco's current challenges, why he believes the team's future is bright, and why his passion for being behind the wheel remains his biggest motivation.

Formula One has a short memory.

Momentum defines perception. A good weekend changes the narrative; a difficult run invites questions. And when you drive for one of the sport's most ambitious projects, the scrutiny only gets louder.

Aston Martin Aramco's trajectory has never lacked ambition. New facilities. New leadership. Championship-winning names arriving through the doors of the AMR Technology Campus. But building a winning Formula One team is rarely linear; difficult periods are part of the process.

Through it all, one thing hasn't changed – Lance Stroll's belief in the Aston Martin Aramco project.

Lance, it's been a challenging period for the team. What gives you confidence in the direction it is going?

"We've got some incredibly talented people at the AMR Technology Campus and there's huge potential with the tools like the new CoreWeave AIR Tunnel and the simulator.

"We have all the elements to become a winning team, it's just about unlocking that potential.

"I firmly believe in this project, even though right now we're experiencing some difficult times. The future is very bright and I want to ride this tough spell out and be part of the journey we're on."

Do times like this strengthen your belief in the project or test it?

"I think they do both. Difficult moments always test you, but they also show you who really believes in what you're building.

"It's easy to believe when results are coming and everything feels good. The real challenge is staying committed when things are harder and you have to work through problems together.

"That's part of building a top Formula One team. I genuinely believe the foundations we're putting in place now can lead to something very special in the future."

Everyone in the team is working incredibly hard and wants more.

There's no shortage of outside opinions in Formula One. Results are analysed corner-by-corner, weekends judged in real time and drivers place under a spotlight few sports can match.

But for Lance, perspective comes with experience, nearly a decade into life on the grid.

What have you learned over your years in Formula One?

"A lot. Different driving tactics, things around car setup, dealing with changing conditions, tricks at different racetracks to gain lap-time.

"As you spend more time in Formula One, you realise how much of the sport is about confidence and feeling. That's one of the constant challenges, because every season is different. You're always learning, adapting and trying to evolve together with the car and the team around you.

"And physically, too – understanding what I need to be at my best during race weekends, how to manage the season mentally and physically. Those are all things you improve over time."

How do you deal with the difficult moments mentally – both personally and as a team?

"You have to stay grounded and keep perspective. In Formula One, things move very quickly. A few months can completely change the picture, so if you get too emotional with either the highs or the lows, it's difficult to stay focused on what actually matters.

"As drivers, we all want to be fighting at the front. When you're going through tougher periods, of course it's frustrating because everyone in the team is working incredibly hard and wants more. But those moments are also part of building something.

"You've got to keep working, stay honest about where you need to improve and trust the process, even when the results aren't immediately there."

Driving is a craft I've been building for more than 20 years.

If there's a thread running through Lance's career, it's his relationship with driving itself. Not the noise around Formula One. Not the narratives. The pure act of driving; a passion that first pulled him into racing that burns bright today.

Even during breaks in the season, he rarely stays away from the cockpit for long.

We've seen you driving an Aston Martin Vantage GT3 and a Formula 3 car recently. What motivated you to do that?

"I've been passionate about cars and racing them my whole life. I love driving different cars and different disciplines of motorsport; it's a craft I've been building for more than 20 years.

"Feeling what different cars do is a great exercise as a driver. It keeps you race sharp and you never know what you may learn.

"The Formula 3 car especially is one I've always loved driving. I won that championship in 2016 and I've got so many good memories from it. It suited my driving style and it's one of those cars that always puts a smile on my face.

"Whenever there's an opportunity to do a track day or something like rally driving, I enjoy it. For me, it's about being behind the steering wheel and driving. That's all I want to do."

You shared the recent GT3 experience at Paul Ricard with Aston Martin Aramco Driver Academy member Mari Boya. What led to that?

"The biggest reason for asking Mari was I wanted to enjoy the experience with people I get along with, and I know he's fast. We've got a good relationship, and we've done track days together before.

"I've known Roberto Merhi, who drove alongside Mari and I at Paul Ricard, for many years and we were having dinner during the Japanese Grand Prix weekend when the idea came up.

"Mari is already part of the Aston Martin Aramco Driver Academy, he's a good guy and we've spent a lot of time together, so it happened naturally."

With all your experience, do you feel a responsibility now to help younger drivers like Mari coming through?

"He didn't need much guidance! Mari was super quick.

"I gave him a few tips about things like traffic management because I've done endurance racing before, but once drivers get to Formula 3 and Formula 2 level, the fundamentals are already there."

Lance's love of driving also stretches far beyond the confines of the circuit; his ideal setting noticeably different from the intensity of racing.

Do you enjoy driving on the road?

"If it's traffic in the middle of a city, not really!

"But getting out onto a nice open road – a coastal road or country road – behind the wheel of an Aston Martin or an older car with an H-pattern gearbox, that's enjoyable.

"That kind of driving is special."

As our conversation concludes, we indulge in what Lance's perfect racing car would be like. His answer says a lot about the type of driver he is and underscores his belief in where the team is headed.

If you could design your perfect racing car, what would it feel like?

"I like strong mechanical grip in low-speed corners and good aero grip in high-speed corners.

"I like lighter cars with good change of direction and a responsive front end, but I also want a solid rear in heavy braking zones and combined-entry corners. I like a car that follows its nose.

"If I had to pick examples, a lot of the Adrian Newey-designed cars from Sebastian Vettel's championship-winning era were close to perfect.

"So, we've got the right person for the job."

Lance's view is uncomplicated: difficult periods are temporary, ambition is not, and Aston Martin Aramco's story is still being written.