Former FIA Steward and ex-Formula 1 driver Johnny Herbert drew intense criticism after suggesting that Lance Stroll has been performing better than Fernando Alonso at Aston Martin for the 2025 season. His comment emerged in a recent interview ahead of the year’s ongoing contests, stirring reactions from fans who disagreed strongly with his assessment.
When asked by Motor ES to compare the two Aston Martin teammates, Herbert surprisingly favored the Canadian driver over Alonso. He justified his opinion by pointing out the current points tally:
“Who’s doing the best job right now? Well, the man with the most points is Lance.”
This statement quickly circulated online, prompting numerous fan responses on social media platforms, many of which challenged Herbert’s judgment and suggested bias or lack of understanding.
Fans express strong disapproval of Herbert’s comparison
The backlash against Herbert’s view was clear and vocal. Supporters of Fernando Alonso, the two-time World Champion and seasoned race winner, criticized Herbert in blunt terms. Some commenters questioned his credibility as a former steward, while others implied that his opinions were driven more by personal bias than objective analysis:
“How the hell was this guy ever a steward. 1. Either he is biased against Alonso. 2. Or he is dumber than a bag of rocks and doesn’t understand what he watches. Either way he is a bad steward.”
“Can Johnny Herbert spend a day without thinking about Fernando?”
“We get it Herbert, you’re still salty.”
“Johnny Herbert is and will always be a salty cunt, Nando completely destroyed him all those years ago.”
“I feel Herbert wants to be cussed out.”
“This guy is so butt hurt. He must be a nasty person to have in one’s life. Sad person.”
These quotes reflect a strong emotional response from the Formula 1 community, particularly given Alonso’s extensive achievements compared to Stroll’s relative lack of victories.
Statistical context behind Stroll and Alonso’s 2025 performance
From a purely points-based standpoint this season, Lance Stroll holds an edge over Fernando Alonso. After 10 races and two Sprint events, Stroll has accumulated 14 points, whereas Alonso has managed only eight. However, this numerical comparison does not fully capture the broader context of their careers and individual capabilities, which contributes to fans’ disagreement with Herbert’s claim. Alonso is a well-established figure in Formula 1 with multiple championships and 32 race victories, contrasting with Stroll’s record, which lacks any race wins so far.
Judging driver performance is complex and usually involves more factors than just current points, especially when comparing a seasoned world champion to a driver still seeking his first win.
Fernando Alonso addresses Aston Martin’s challenges during 2025 season
At the 2025 Miami Grand Prix, Fernando Alonso provided an honest assessment of Aston Martin’s overall competitiveness, acknowledging that the team’s performance has fallen short of expectations. He highlighted several issues affecting both qualifying speed and race pace:
“We are not as competitive as we want to be, we thought we’d be, but I think there is not only one theme. There are a couple of factors that make the car a little bit difficult at the moment, in terms of pace, and maybe not as fast as some of the midfield [teams] that … raised the level and they are closer to the top four, and we didn’t make that step.”
“We need to react, we need to do things better and hopefully in the next few races we have a step forward, but yeah, it has been more difficult than expected.”
These statements underscore the difficulties Aston Martin has faced this season, reflected in their current standing of eighth place and 22 points in the Constructors’ Championship. The team’s lack of one-lap speed and slower race pace have hampered their ability to consistently challenge the front runners.
Implications for Aston Martin’s future and team dynamics
The dispute over who has been the better driver between Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso at Aston Martin highlights deeper frustrations around the team’s underperformance in 2025. With Alonso openly calling for improvements and Stroll holding a small points advantage, the internal competition could intensify as the season progresses. The public disagreement fueled by Herbert’s comments may also add tension among fans and within the team environment.
How Aston Martin responds in the coming races—whether through technical upgrades or strategic adaptations—will be crucial to closing the gap to the leading teams and satisfying the demands of both drivers and supporters. The stakes remain high as both Stroll and Alonso continue to seek strong results to bolster their positions.
