They say that numbers don’t lie, but at Aston Martin they can sometimes be a coincidence. At least, that seems to be Lance Stroll’s theory. After the Montreal race, the Canadian insisted that there had been no improvements to the Aston Martin. “I really don’t feel any difference in the car,” said the son of the team owner. Meanwhile, on the other side of the garage, Fernando Alonso has now achieved four Q3s and two consecutive races in the points. Perhaps that is why, on Tuesday, the team announced the signing of Catalan Mari Boya as part of its young driver program.
Mari Boya, Aston Martin’s new cornerstone for the future
On Tuesday, July 24, the Silverstone-based team announced the launch of its Driver Academy, and they did so in a big way with their first signing: Mari Boya, the Spanish driver who is currently competing in Formula 3, where he is in 13th place in the championship with 36 points.
Aston Martin’s goal with its new academy is to identify and provide young talent with the skills necessary to succeed in motorsport. The intention is to recruit the most promising drivers from karting through to the single-seater racing categories that are the direct stepping stones to Formula 1.
The driver will be part of the new Aston Martin Academy, the fourth Spaniard in the team
And what better way to do so than with Mari Boya, the fourth Spanish member of the team after Fernando Alonso, Pedro de la Rosa (brand ambassador) and Dani Juncadella (simulator driver).
Thus, Mari Boya, one of the top drivers in F3, the junior category of the ‘Grand Circus’ with Campos Racing, will headline Aston Martin’s new young driver program. In just two and a half seasons in F3, he has shown progress and in 2025 he is already an established driver among the best on the grid.
In addition, the British team’s youth program will also have links with Fernando Alonso, as it will form an alliance with DPK Racing, the karting team that builds the Asturian’s karts.
A sign of things to come for the team… and for Stroll
This signing, as such, and although he will initially be part of the newly created Driver Academy within the structure, is also a serious warning for Lance Stroll. And for no other reason than that, while Mari Boya has to take things step by step to grow, the British also know that, even though Lance is the son of the team owner, there are many question marks hanging over his head.
Today, we’re excited to announce the launch of our Driver Academy, a comprehensive programme designed to identify, support, and develop exceptional driving talent, and welcome 21-year-old Spanish driver @MariBoya64 as our first signing. pic.twitter.com/QKd1H3wtMr
— Aston Martin Aramco F1 Team (@AstonMartinF1) June 24, 2025
So much so that there are members of the management who believe that when the time comes to fight for important things, such as 2026 with Honda and the new rules, they need the best possible teammate for Fernando Alonso. And when the Spaniard decides to retire as well. That is why the name of George Russell is being mentioned more and more in Aston Martin. In Barcelona, as GRADA3 has learned, Russell has been put on the table in an attempt to bring him into the structure led by Lawrence Stroll: the Englishman has not yet renewed with Mercedes for 2026.
“He is a talent with a great track record, natural speed, and mentality. Our goal will be to support him in his development in all areas,” said Andy Cowell, head of the racing team, in a statement about Mari Boya.
After showing great form in the Spanish F4, where he finished runner-up in his debut year, the young driver moved up to the European junior categories. His flashes of brilliance opened the doors to F3, where he has achieved one victory and three podium finishes in total. He has shared a team with drivers of the caliber of Franco Colapinto and Nikola Tsolov, flirting with the top positions in the third category. Like Pepe Martí with Red Bull, the Lleida native now also has a giant structure behind him that will support him on his way to Formula 1.
As things stand, he will receive a golden opportunity in a team that will launch itself in 2026 as an official team and has completely changed its essence with the arrival of figures such as Adrian Newey and Cowell himself. The environment for growth is unbeatable.