Lance Stroll has just etched his name into Formula 1 history books, but for all the wrong reasons. The Aston Martin driver became the first to be eliminated in Q1 a staggering 100 times since the three-part qualifying format was introduced back in 2006.
That unwanted milestone was reached at the Monza circuit during qualifying for the Italian Grand Prix, where he ended up dead last in 22nd. He was less than a tenth of a second behind teammate Fernando Alonso, who qualified three places ahead.
The Making of an Unwanted Record
Stroll's first Q1 elimination came on his grand prix debut with Williams at the 2017 Australian Grand Prix. In under a decade, the 27-year-old Canadian has now broken a record none of his rivals will envy.
After a disappointing qualifying session, Stroll was typically brief in his interview. "It was what we expected with the engine. We're way off, so we won't be able to stay with the pack tomorrow," he said with a clear lack of enthusiasm.
Aston Martin's Power Struggle
Aston Martin has been consistently down on power at Monza compared to its rivals. Speed trap data revealed a staggering deficit to the Mercedes cars. Worryingly, this comes despite Honda bringing an upgraded F1 engine to the Dutch Grand Prix last time out.
On the other side of the garage, Alonso could only manage a single push lap in Q1 due to an issue the team is investigating. "We are currently investigating an issue with the car that kept us in the garage at the end of Q1. We missed the opportunity to use a fresh set of tyres, which cut our qualifying short," said the two-time world champion.
With such a significant power deficit at a circuit that rewards straight-line speed, Aston Martin faces a monumental challenge. Can they fight back in the race, or will they continue to struggle amidst rival engine dominance? Only time will tell.
Read Also
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Hamilton unhappy with Ferrari role after Monza qualifying. 59-point gap is tough, Leclerc won't yield. Will the Scuderia set a hierarchy?
Fernando Alonso criticizes F1 regulations that have stripped Monza of its Tempio della Velocita status. Read the full analysis on Sportrik.
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