Lance Stroll has welcomed the presence of Fernando Alonso at the Aston Martin Formula 1 team, insisting he expects to be pushed by the two-time World Champion.
Alonso arrives at the team having spent the previous two seasons with Alpine.
Stroll has been partnered with Sebastian Vettel since 2021, but after the German retired at the end of 2022, the Canadian will have a new challenge in Alonso who sits as the most experienced driver in F1 history.
Ahead of their first season as team-mates, Stroll says he expects he will have to raise his own game to compete against Alonso.
“It’s no fun when you’re just kind of driving around with no one pushing you,” Stroll told Motorsport.com.
“I think what you want in a team-mate is a guy that is at the top of his game. It means that when you get more out of it than him, you’re really at the top of your game, and vice versa.
“When you’re not getting the most out of it, it’s not that you can just sit back and relax. You’ve got to try and work harder.
“I think that’s what you want from the team at the end of the day, and also for them to know if you guys are pushing each other and always getting everything out of the car and the package.”
Alonso made his Aston Martin debut at the post-season test in Abu Dhabi, and recently had his first day at the team’s Silverstone factory.
Stroll says that he is eager to see what different ideas the Spaniard brings to the squad as it aims to climb the F1 pecking order.
“We’ve spent some time together, just chatting and stuff on drivers’ parades and all that,” Stroll said.
“He’s a nice guy and he’s a great driver, a big talent.
“It’s always interesting and exciting when someone like him, or like Seb, comes to the team and has different ideas, or drives in a different way, and maybe wants different things in the car.
“It’s always interesting to hear what guys with that kind of experience have to say. In that sense, I’m definitely looking forward to having him in the team and working with him.”
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