One of the main talking points of the Monaco Grand Prix was undoubtedly Lance Stroll’s accident. On lap 60, the Canadian driver ended up in the wall at Antony Noghes, triggering the first and only Safety Car of the sixth round of the 2026 Formula 1 World Championship.
Initially, several experts and insiders thought that Lance’s crash could be attributed to the sudden deterioration of the asphalt just a few dozen meters before the corner in question. The track surface, which was already damaged after qualifying, had been repaired in the morning using specialized materials. However, lap after lap, it crumbled away, creating a groove and scattering debris right across that section of the track.
At the end of the race, however, crucial clarifications emerged directly from Aston Martin. Pedro de la Rosa provided some initial insights into what caused Stroll to hit the barriers in the final sector of the Principality’s street circuit.
“The fact that Lance crashed shows that our drivers do not give up at all. Even with a very difficult car that presents various problems during the deceleration phase when approaching a corner. It is something we noticed throughout the entire weekend. Both Fernando and Lance pushed to the limit, and I think that is the most incredible aspect.”
“As mentioned, we encountered deceleration issues. I would prefer not to go into too much detail because we are currently running analyses, but there are certainly things that do not help the drivers push to the limit. And when they do, if the deceleration process does not work as expected, you can end your race in the wall. That is exactly what happened to Lance.”
“Honda and the team are analyzing the situation. We are trying different solutions and different maps for the next race, but it is a complex issue. When we talk about the engine and gearbox together, we are working on the entire package. It is not simple at all, especially this season due to the new regulations featuring such a small internal combustion engine and such a large turbo.”
Stroll, on the other hand, was much more specific. He spoke openly about the engine braking problems he faced throughout the race and, truth be told, ever since the season-opening Australian Grand Prix.
“We were just trying to finish the race, and then we had engine braking issues the whole race. All season long we’ve had this problem. In some corners it pushes you, in others it’s like it holds you back, and it does different things every time. So, going into that particular corner, it basically pushed me into the wall, like the throttle was pressed to 50%. Like it was stuck.”
However, looking at Stroll’s telemetry (which you can find above), it is worth noting that on the lap of the accident—the 60th lap out of the scheduled 78—the Canadian engaged first gear before Antony Noghes. From lap 1 up until lap 59, Lance had never used first gear, opting for second gear instead to tackle that corner. It remains unclear whether the accident can be linked to this alternative gear selection, but it is a fact that Stroll did something different just moments before the crash compared to the rest of his race.
In summary, Lance Stroll’s Monaco Grand Prix crash has highlighted ongoing engine braking and deceleration struggles at Aston Martin, with telemetry showing a unique gear shift just before the Canadian was pushed into the barriers.
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