Aston Martin continued its upward trajectory during Friday practice at the 2025 F1 Austrian GP, with Lance Stroll delivering one of his most encouraging performances of the season. As the team builds momentum after a string of challenging weekends, the Red Bull Ring may prove a pivotal point in its campaign.
Stroll delivers statement drive in FP2
Lance Stroll has faced a difficult run of races in 2025, marked by inconsistency, misfortune, and even a surprise wrist surgery that briefly interrupted his season. However, the Canadian driver arrived in Spielberg with renewed confidence—and crucially, delivered on track. Stroll ended the second free practice session in a strong fourth position, ahead of some of the frontrunners and firmly among the top teams.
Earlier in FP1, Stroll had already demonstrated competitive pace, hovering within the top ten for most of the session before dropping back slightly in the closing stages as others improved on soft-tyre runs. Still, his pace remained genuine, and he completed his full programme without issues.
Speaking after Friday’s sessions, Stroll expressed his satisfaction with the car and the weekend’s early signs of progress.
“It feels good to be back in Austria – it’s a great track and I always enjoy coming back here so I’m looking forward to this weekend.“
Now in his ninth season in F1, the 25-year-old has scored points only twice in 2025 thus far—most notably a fifth-place finish in the Miami Sprint. However, this weekend could offer the chance to change that narrative.
“We’ve seen some improvements in the car over the last few weeks and we’ll try to do the best we can here. It’s still early in the weekend for us to say where we’re at compared to everyone else, but the car is feeling good so far and we got through our run plan for the day so we’ll see tomorrow how it goes.”
Alonso battles back after early setback
While Stroll enjoyed a relatively smooth day, Fernando Alonso faced a more complicated start to his Austrian GP weekend. The two-time World Champion suffered a spin during FP1 that interrupted his momentum and left his team temporarily on the back foot. Despite that setback, the experienced Spaniard recovered well and returned to form in the afternoon session.
Alonso eventually finished inside the top ten in FP2 of the 2025 F1 Austrian GP, putting both Aston Martin cars into the upper half of the timesheets and reinforcing the sense that the AMR25 is becoming a more consistent contender. Although he admitted the car still lacks the precise balance he desires, Alonso remains optimistic.
“I’m feeling better after the last few races. With the last two in the points, the car feels like it’s coming alive again. It’s still not quite in the right window, but we will see how we progress as we go into the weekend.“
Alonso, who has scored points in each of the last two Grands Prix in Spain and Canada, is aiming to continue that streak on Sunday. With the midfield grid as tightly packed as ever, he stressed the importance of a strong qualifying performance to position himself for success.
“It’s really close out there, so we need to nail the lap in Qualifying tomorrow and make sure our race pace is strong too.”
Quiet confidence at Aston Martin
The tone within Aston Martin’s camp has gradually shifted in recent weeks—from frustration to cautious optimism. Both drivers now sense the team is starting to unlock the AMR25’s potential. While the car may not yet be capable of challenging the front-runners outright, it is becoming a more reliable weapon in the fight for points, especially on circuits that suit its traits.
At the Red Bull Ring, where precision and traction are critical, Aston Martin appear more dialled in than at previous rounds. Stroll’s performance on Friday at the 2025 F1 Austrian GP, in particular, hinted at the possibility of a meaningful result for Aston Martin this weekend. For Alonso, even with the early misstep, the car showed flashes of potential once he settled into his run plan.
Looking ahead to Qualifying, both drivers will aim to convert their Friday gains into grid positions that offer a clear shot at the top ten. With tyre strategy, weather changes, and track evolution all likely to play a role, Aston Martin’s technical team will now focus on fine-tuning setups to extract maximum performance on Saturday.
