Lance Stroll says his father's new venture with Aston Martin is "great in many ways" for the Racing Point Formula 1 team.
This will be the last season the Silverstone-based outfit runs under the identity it assumed when Lawrence Stroll took over Force India in 2018, with a rebranding included as part of the deal which saw the Canadian businessman claim a near-17 per cent stake in the British carmaker last month.
And to take on a name in Aston Martin that carries such brand identity and prestige, Stroll Jr thinks it will only add to the positive vibe at Racing Point.
“It is my dad’s project. Obviously I talk to my dad so we have spoken about it," Lance said in Austria earlier this week. "It is very exciting and I think it is a great transformation for the team.
“Right now, the car is still pink and we’ve got a season ahead of ourselves to focus on, so I am not going to go into the Aston Martin stuff just yet.
“But they are a hell of a brand and have got an incredible name.
“I think for everyone involved in the Racing Point team it is a big uplift and excitement that should bring us more value. It is great in many ways.”
One man who has been present at the team through all its highs and lows is Stroll's teammate Sergio Perez, and he is delighted to see the progress being made.
“I think that is a huge step to all of a sudden become a factory team with such an iconic brand,” said the Mexican. “I think it’s just great. It’s another big step in the right direction for the team."
For now though, all eyes are on the start of the 2020 season, with winter testing getting underway in Barcelona on Wednesday.
And looking ahead, Stroll sees Racing Point in a much better place than at the same time a year ago.
“I’ve seen a big change coming into this season compared to where we were 12 months ago,” said the 21-year-old.
“We were definitely on the back foot coming into 2019 with a lot of change from Force India to Racing Point and this year we got a head start on the development process.
“It is definitely very exciting for the team and it gives me a lot more confidence coming into this season knowing how much more work has gone on behind the scenes with the 2020 car compared to the 2019 car.”
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As for his own performance, Lance is eager to be much closer to Perez this season having struggled last year, particularly in qualifying.
“I definitely want to beat my teammate. Formula 1 is a competitive business and I am a competitive guy, I want to beat my teammate," he was quoted by Crash.net.
“It is a long year and I have just got to take it weekend-by-weekend and we will see where we end up in Abu Dhabi.
"I think it has been about building experience and learning my lessons every year and the areas that I can improve on,” he added.
“That is the ongoing battle that we face as drivers every season, as we are dealing with a different beast and you’ve got build a relationship with the new car and see where the strong points and weak points are.
“Then you try to drive around the weak points by working with the engineers on how the car can be better. That is what I am going to dive into when we get to Barcelona and work on it throughout the season.”
