Aston Martin were “smart”, not lucky, in qualifying – Stroll

Lance Stroll said Aston Martin “made our own luck” by getting their tactics right in qualifying after they locked out the second row of the grid for the Brazilian Grand Prix.

With a heavy rain storm heading to the circuit, Aston Martin ensured both their drivers were at the head of the queue to leave the pits as Q3 began. With conditions deteriorating rapidly, Stroll and Fernando Alonso took advantage of their place at the head of the queue to claim third and fourth on the grid respectively.

Stroll, who qualified inside the top 10 for a grand prix for the first time since the summer break, said the result doesn’t necessarily signify that Aston Martin’s recent upgrades have paid off.

“I guess time will tell if we build on today and we can keep up this form in other places,” he said. “Definitely, I don’t think we were lucky today, I think we made our own luck.

“We did well going at the front of the queue and getting good track position. The weather was coming in so I think that was smart.”

Like many of the drivers who ran in Q3, Stroll described the track conditions as very challenging when he did his sole lap of the session.

“I still really felt like crap in the car,” he said. “It was really tricky in Q3 and then I think the wind changed direction. So it was still really tough.

“But I think we did a good job getting both cars, me and Fernando, at the front of the queue. The team did a good job at giving us an attempt at the front of the queue before the bad weather came in and it looks like a lot of guys missed their laps or didn’t get them in or for whatever reason. So I think we made our own luck today.”

He believes the team’s tactics allowed them to take better grid positions than they would otherwise have achieved.

“I don’t think we’re third on paper,” said Stroll. “The conditions and stuff in Q3 were a little funny and I think we managed to execute well, that’s for sure.

“We did well going early at the front of the queue and getting in our lap early before the rain came. I know a lot of people missed their laps or didn’t get clean laps in so that was a good effort. But we’ll see what we can do in the race, the points are on Sunday.

“But it’s still a huge step from Mexico, Austin. We had a good race in Austin but Friday and Saturday was difficult. So today is definitely the best quali and pace we’ve had in a long time.”

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