Lance Stroll believes the Italian Grand Prix was “mine to lose” after he was forced to settle for third place at Monza.
Stroll was able to change tyres while the race was under a red flag following a crash for Charles Leclerc, meaning he received a free pit stop while in second place as those behind him had already pitted.
At the race restart, Stroll dropped down to sixth place when he out-braked himself at the second chicane, but recovered to third to take his second career podium.
However, the Canadian admits disappointed over not capitalising on the situation and taking his first Formula 1 victory, with Pierre Gasly achieving that feat instead.
“It’s been a couple of years since I stood on a podium,” Stroll said. “It feels good to be back.
“It was such a crazy race. I’m so happy for Pierre. He really deserved it. He had a great start and he just stayed consistent all the way throughout the race.
“It’s a bit of a bummer as I think it was mine to lose, starting from second [at the restart]. But I just had no grip at the start and I had a ton of wheel spin and everybody flew by me.
“I had a good scrap with Carlos there in the first couple of laps. I overtook him around the outside and then he got me again into Turn 1.
“We were battling out there and I’m happy to pick up third. I think the win slipped away from us today but third is great.”
Stroll added it was an “amazing opportunity” to start on the front row alongside Lewis Hamilton for the restart – the second time he has done so, after securing a second place starting position at the 2017 Italian GP.
“It definitely threw a curveball at us,” Stroll said of the mid-race start. “We’re not used to getting out of the car halfway through the race.
“I think it was just important to reset and get back into it. It was an amazing opportunity in the race to start from second, knowing that Lewis had a ten second time penalty.
“I wasn’t actually aware of the stop and go, I just thought it was a ten second time penalty. It was unexpected but it created a lot of excitement in the race, that’s for sure.”
Stroll is now tied with Lando Norris on 57 championship points, with the pair holding an impressive fourth and fifth in the standings.
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