What enraged Lawrence Stroll keeps doing at the Aston Martin factory amid poor 2025 start

Aston Martin arrive at this weekend’s Bahrain Grand Prix seventh in the world championship. They’ve scored 10 points in the opening three rounds of the season.

But even that underwhelming tally flatters them. The Australian GP was a chaotic wet/dry/wet race that disguised the true pecking order, with Lance Stroll – to his credit – surviving his way to P6.

That result accounts for 80% of Aston’s points. And in China, Stroll benefitted from three disqualifications ahead (the two Ferraris and the Alpine of Pierre Gasly) to put two more on the board.

When every driver was classified at Suzuka last weekend, Aston Martin received a clear, more sobering picture of their competitiveness. Fernando Alonso called his P11 a ‘small miracle’, while Stroll was last.

At the same stage of 2024, Aston were fifth on 25 points. But it appears that they’ve slipped from the front of the midfield to the lower reaches of the F1 pecking order.

Lawrence Stroll ‘breathes fire’ on Aston Martin staff after each disappointing race

Aston Martin owner Lawrence Stroll has a combustible reputation. The Canadian businessman is pinning his hopes on 2026 as he chases the championship, but that doesn’t mean he’s inclined to accept short-term mediocrity.

After last year’s Emilia Romagna GP, when an upgrade package failed, Stroll got ‘pretty loud’ behind the scenes. He may be the kind of figure who strikes fear into his staff.

According to a fresh report from Motorsport.com, Monday mornings after a disappointing race weekend are ‘uncomfortable’ for Aston Martin staff at the factory. Stroll is known to ‘breathe fire’ over his ‘hapless’ squad.

It’s now seen as ‘inevitable’ that he’ll turn to Adrian Newey to lift the team’s immediate fortunes. Newey, who started work in March, is focusing primarily on the 2026 car but Stroll can’t accept their current performance levels.

Did Max Verstappen just send a message to Aston Martin over 2026 move?

Stroll is investing nearly £800m in Aston Martin, so one can understand why he’s impatient. He needs to install a winning culture before 2026, if nothing else.

Even if Aston build a contending car for the new regulations, they must have the attitude and the structures in place to maximise it. Stroll has hired decorated engine mastermind Andy Cowell, formerly of Mercedes, to run the team day-to-day.

The chassis will be designed by Newey in collaboration with Enrico Cardile, though Ferrari have delayed the latter’s arrival. Perhaps the most significant coup of all is still to come.

Speaking after his Japanese GP win, Max Verstappen hailed his ‘amazing’ relationship with Honda. The Japanese manufacturer will align with Aston for 2026, so Verstappen potentially was sending a subtle message to his suitors – it will certainly increase their appeal.