What an exciting weekend it has already been! The Friday qualifying session at the 2023 Brazilian GP gave us plenty to talk about. However, it was a bag of mixed feelings for the teams. Although we can be certain the feelings at Aston Martin are of ecstasy. The team secured their first-second row lockout of the season with Lance Stroll out-qualifying his world-champion teammate and securing his best qualifying result since 2020.

The Canadian has often come under heavy criticism for his consistently poor performances, even when Aston Martin was enjoying the fruit of their labor at the start of the season. However, after two extremely disappointing weekends, how did Aston Martin and specifically Stroll bounce back? Ex-Ferrari boss and F1 veteran Peter Windsor has an answer.

Peter Windsor credits F1’s hidden hero after the heroics of Lance Stroll in the Brazilian GP qualifying

What do Juan Pablo Montoya, Kimi Räikkönen, David Coulthard, Marco Andretti, Lance Stroll, Valtteri Bottas, Nikita Mazepin, Giorgio Vinella and Valentino Rossi all have in common? One man, Rob Wilson! The former racing driver has trained all the aforementioned drivers, and that’s exactly what Windsor believes was the difference maker in Stroll’s qualifying session.

Windsor said, “But all credit to Lance Stroll for getting in a lap early as well and doing a very good job in those weird difficult conditions. Couldn’t help thinking of Rob Wilson, probably in Lance’s ear at some point in the intervening period between Mexico and Brazil reminding him to feel the surface of the road, reminding him to be supple and to be soft with his inputs, to have the right rate of inputs. That’s what showed up today with Lance Stroll. So all credit to him!”     

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Stroll himself might be confused about his astonishing qualifying result in Brazil. However, Windsor is giving credit where credit is due. Although now that Aston Martin is in this position of power, the team is not going to let this opportunity go to waste.

Aston Martin TP downplays the McLaren threat to put faith into the Brazilian GP changes after the mega qualifying

Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll have a mega opportunity to take the fight back to McLaren after the Woking-based outfit knocked them down in the constructors table. The team that started P2 is in fifth at the moment and needs to desperately fight back. When many would’ve thought the chances were gone, Aston Martin’s boss was putting his faith in the drivers to keep the fight alive until the end.

After the Brazilian GP qualifying session, Mike Krack said, “I disagree that everything is lost. We still have a few races to go. But yes, at this stage I believe all teams are already focused on next year. Now everyone is trying their best to do their homework correctly for next year.” 

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There are a couple of interesting fights brewing up for the final standings in the constructor’s championship. Let’s keep an eye out!