The ambitious owner of Aston Martin reminds Fernando Alonso of Flavio Briatore, who made him the world champion as the head of the team.
Ever since Fernando Alonso wore green, he has hardly given an interview without mentioning Lawrence Stroll’s name. It was the owner of Aston Martin who persuaded him to switch teams after a few short negotiations last summer, and he is the one he sees as a guarantee of the team’s future success.
Eddie Jordan, founder of the legal predecessor to the current Aston, said a few years ago of Stroll that anything he touches turns to gold, so he is convinced he will also be successful as an F1 team captain. His methods are not trivial. In the past two years, he’s lured in several well-known engineers from other teams, and begun building a new factory, wind tunnel, and simulator, while also helping to raise needed funds by signing major sponsorship deals.
The Canadian confidently declared at the team car show: “Once I become passionate about something, I win.”
This mindset reminds Alonso very much of his former Renault boss and manager, Flavio Briatore, who thrived at the Enstone team in the 1990s first under the Benetton name and then in the 2000s under the Renault name.
“Flavio is very charismatic and a true leader. He had a special strength and people need a leader. In Formula 1, teams are seven or eight hundred people, and your job is easier when there are real people in the team, and you always follow their voice.”
“So you need someone that people listen to and respect, and I think Flavio and Lawrence are leaders in everything they do.”
– said the Spaniard, who won two world championships with Briatore.
Flavio Briatore and Lawrence Stroll (Photo: XPB)Regarding their success at the start of the year, he said, Stroll was very proud and happy. “He has a vision of having a winning team in the near future, no matter what that takes. And when he has an idea, he usually makes it work. So it’s interesting to have a leader like Lawrence, because you know you’ll have everything you need. The team is in good hands.” This is what makes Aston Martin so exciting.” Alonso explained.
