Marko shares DRAMATIC quandary over F1 star's future

Red Bull's Helmut Marko has questioned the level of commitment to Formula 1 from a current driver on the grid.

Now competing in his eighth season, Lance Stroll has a wealth of experience and speed - which he struggles to deliver on a consistent basis.

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Since two-time world champion Fernando Alonso joined in 2023, the 25-year-old has been outperformed by the Spaniard.

Stroll has also been criticised for his position in the sport, with Aston Martin being owned by his father and billionaire Lawrence Stroll.

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After the team extended Alonso’s contract until 2026, it leaves one remaining spot at the team.

However, a report from SPORT1 suggested Stroll may be considering retirement and will join his father in the management side of Aston Martin.

In addition to these rumours, Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko has questioned the Canadian’s desire to remain in F1 and whether he really wants to be a racing driver.

“I remember his very good race leading up to his podium in Baku with Williams in 2017, and I remember him taking pole position from us (Red Bull) in Turkey in 2020,” Marko said to Le Journal de Montréal.

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“Since then, he’s had his ups and downs. Some very good races and some very ordinary ones.

“I wonder if he really wants to be a driver and if he works very hard to achieve good results.”

Despite his podiums and experience in F1, Stroll remains prone to rookie errors most notably this season at the Chinese Grand Prix.

Following a safety car restart he tagged the rear end of Daniel Ricciardo’s RB, causing the Australian to retire from the race.

Ricciardo proceeded to launch into a foul-mouthed rant following the incident after Stroll refused to apologise for the crash.

Incidents such as these, coupled with blunt team radio messages to his engineer, have prompted criticism towards Stroll and his commitment to F1.

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