Confidence-hit Lance Stroll has "learnt his lesson" after dismissing Racing Point upgrades

Racing Point

Confidence-hit Stroll has "learnt his lesson" after dismissing Racing Point upgrades

Team reverted to an older specification of rear suspension for Stroll at Imola

Ian Parkes & Ewan Gale

Thursday 5 November 2020 08:33

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Racing Point technical director Andrew Green believes Lance Stroll has "learnt his lesson" after initially being dismissive of the upgrades to the car's rear suspension.

Since missing the Eifel Grand Prix in October through illness before subsequently testing positive for Covid-19, Stroll has struggled performance-wise, while he has yet to score a point since the Italian GP at Monza a month earlier.

Following a dismal weekend at Imola, Green revealed Stroll had previously pushed through a change to the car, switching to an old specification of the rear suspension.

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"There are some things we potentially thought might have been suspension-related to the comments that we made," he explained.

"We actually reverted back on a portion of that suspension for Imola and I think in hindsight, he now realises that was probably a bad move.

"I don't think that is the whole issue but I think that is all part of a lack of confidence at the moment and questioning where the car is and what has changed and making sure it wasn't something we had changed, so we did go back on a part.

"But I think it is quite clear at the end of the day that we couldn't revert back because on a two-day weekend it was a 'fit-it and forget'.

"So with hindsight, we need to go back to where we were and I think that is part of that entry-sharpness that you can see, the nervousness. I think that is something that was present this weekend and something we will dial out in the remaining races.

"The previous version was a bit too slow basically. He thought it wasn't fast enough so he wanted it more reactive. So we made it more reactive and now it is too reactive. So now he has learnt the lesson."

Stroll has struggled to get to grips with the RP20 since the developments were added to the car ahead of the Eifel GP, which were implemented following comments by reserve driver Nico Hülkenberg after his cameo at Silverstone earlier this season.

This is in spite of the fact the Canadian started the year off in career-best form as he scored points in seven successive races, culminating in the podium at Monza.

Green, however, expanded on Stroll's issues by explaining the difficulties the 22-year-old has encountered with the tyres.

"It is one of those things that is on the tyres, you have to be so kind and so gentle with them," added Green.

"Any excess sliding that you put in, especially on the entry phase to the corner, really penalises you, not just on the entry but all through the corner and onto the exit.

"If you don't have a balance on the tyres that is really smooth, you suffer in all aspects of the corner and I think that is part of the problem."

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