Stroll ignored Aston Martin’s order to let Alonso past · F1 · RaceFans

An overlooked team orders row in the Hungarian Grand Prix played out very different to the one which decided the outcome of the race.

While Lando Norris begrudgingly accepted McLaren’s instruction to let his team mate past, Lance Stroll refused to do the same at Aston Martin.

With six laps to go, Aston Martin told Fernando Alonso to let Stroll past into 10th place, the final points-paying position. Stroll had made his last pit stop later than Alonso and was on fresher tyres, and Aston Martin wanted to give him the opportunity to attack Yuki Tsunoda who was three-and-a-half seconds ahead of them.

Alonso’s race engineer Chris Cronin gave him warning of the team’s plan. “Fernando we’ve got one more lap to close up on Tsunoda,” he said with eight laps to go. “But if not we might give… we’re going to give Lance a chance.”

“We will swap back,” Cronin added after they changed places. “If he doesn’t get him, we will swap back.”

Stroll was given similar messages at the same time “Fernando will give you DRS, we’ll go past him into turn one and then we need to get Tsunoda,” his race engineer Andrew Vizard told him. “Everything to get Tsunoda now, otherwise we will swap back at the end of the race,” he added.

However from the outset Stroll indicated his dissatisfaction with the instruction. “I would have passed Fernando, but okay,” he replied.

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Although Stroll took over half a second per lap out of Tsunoda, his chances of passing the RB looked slim. Cronin advised Alonso to stay within range so he wasn’t at risk of being lapped by leader Oscar Piastri

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“Three more laps to go, Fernando, three more laps,” he said. “If you can, just keep up to Lance so that we can swap back without messing around with Piastri.”

Stroll chased Tsunoda around the final lap but never got close enough to attempt a pass on the RB. As he entered the final sector, Vizard reminded him to give the place up.

“Lance, if you don’t get him now, you need to switch back before the line,” he said. “Fernando is four seconds behind you. There is no pressure behind.”

As he neared the line Vizard tried again. “Lance, suggest you drop back. Let Fernando past. He’s four seconds back.”

Stroll, whose father owns the Aston Martin team, gave no reply. He took the chequered flag in 10th place, scoring the final point. Neither he nor Alonso made any further comment as they returned to the pits.

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Alonso also appeared to assist Stroll early in the race, after both started on soft tyres. Alonso ran ahead of his team mate in the first stint and pitted on lap seven, while Stroll stayed out until lap 13, longer than anyone who began the race on softs.

Alexander Albon believes Aston Martin used Alonso at that point to delay other drivers who had pitted early and help Stroll. “Fernando was playing a good team game,” said Albon. “He bunched up the whole group to to allow Lance to come to pit and extend his stint.”