Alonso 'surprised' by Stroll after late-season turnaround

Fernando Alonso has admitted his surprise at Lance Stroll'sdetermination to turn around his flagging Formula 1 fortunes in2023. In the mid-part of the season, Stroll's form fell away,scoring just 12 points in the 10 races between Canada and theUnited States, before scoring a seventh-place in Austin. Thisbrought about a late-season surge, including back-to-back fifthplaces in Brazil and Las Vegas as he rallied to take 10th in thestandings. Stroll was injured for the opening races of the season,with broken wrists sustained in a pre-season cycling accident, withhis dip in-form coinciding with the AMR23 also losingcompetitiveness, with Alonso praising the Canadian for his mentaltoughness. Alonso 'surprised' by Stroll "It has been very good, andI think we have a unique relationship of any team that I was in andin the paddock," Alonso explained to media including RacingNews365."We talk a lot, we are in contact every week on the telephone, atthe factory, at the races and we try to make sure that we are allin the same direction. "We share many things that he's beenthrough, some difficulties this year as the car was changingbehaviour and he was just struggling a little bit more than me. "Wethen fixed a few things on the car, and he's back to top form, andit was impressive to see his dedication and motivation in the highsand lows, such as in the beginning of the year with a broken hand."He was so determined to put things back in place again andeventually he did after Mexico, in Brazil and Las Vegas. "This wasa surprise to me to be honest, the level of commitment and thelevel of motivation that he has, so it is only good news and goodthings for the team."