Lance Stroll explains "for the mechanics and Lawrence" radio message

Back in Montreal, Stroll told his team he was only "completing the race for the mechanics" and his father Lawrence, the de facto team owner

The radio message from Lance Stroll on lap 40 in Montreal caught observers' attention when Formula 1 included it in its post-weekend "Radio Rewind" video. After hearing his engineer Gary Gannon inform him about the gap to the car behind, Stroll made it clear he wasn't really bothered about the details - and was only continuing for his mechanics and his dad, who owns the team.

"I am completing the race for the mechanics, that's it," he radioed while running 15th.

"I totally understand, Lance," was Gannon's response. "Totally understand."

"...and Lawrence," added Stroll. "I am completing the race for the mechanics and Lawrence. That's it."

When asked to explain what was behind those messages, the Canadian admitted he does indeed need to "find some motivation" to drive one of the slowest cars on the current F1 grid.

"I mean, we've been extremely slow all year," Stroll said, "and Canada was one of those races where, you know, we were just the last car by a lot. And in those moments, as a driver, sometimes you're just, yeah, hanging on, and it's not so enjoyable out there - so you need to find some motivation behind the [wheel in the] cockpit.

"I mean, of course, in that race, I was thinking about the mechanics who worked the long hours, and, you know, and Lawrence that's built this team, that's put everything together at Silverstone, and, you know, is super passionate about the project. So, I needed that little motivation to kind of keep pounding around the track, even though we were last by probably four or five laps at that point. But yeah, it's tough times for us, challenging times."

Lance Stroll, Aston Martin Racing, with his race engineer Gary Gannon

Photo by: Alastair Staley / LAT Images via Getty Images

Aston Martin currently sits 10th in the constructors' championship with a single point, with only Cadillac behind. It is the Silverstone team's worst start to a season since the project began in 2021. Stroll said the motivation questions are not exclusive to the team's drivers.

"It is what it is, I mean, not just as a driver, for all the engineers that go to the factory every day between races," he said. "They're working long hours here at the trackside, the mechanics that do this for passion, because they're passionate about the sport, so it's a whole team, it's difficult time for everybody, but I have no doubt that we can be a great team, you know, we have amazing people and great facilities, so we're not where we want to be now, but going forward I'm sure we'll get there."

Aston Martin, unlike most teams, is not developing its car through the opening phase of the championship, having decided to concentrate on delivering one major upgrade package in mid-summer.