Lance Stroll PRESSES his performance coach after struggling to a dismal 17th in qualifying for the Qatar Grand Prix, more than a second behind Aston Martin team-mate Fernando Alonso

Struggling Lance Stroll angrily brushed aside his performance coach after qualifying a dismal 17th for the Qatar Grand Prix.

The Canadian has been blown away by his Aston Martin team-mate Fernando Alonso all season – and was again at Lusail International Circuit, with the Spaniard qualifying a chastening fourth. The gap between the pair when Stroll was eliminated stood at more than one second.

After a clearly agitated Stroll got out of his car, trainer Henry Howell appeared to try to guide the driver through another exit from the garage. The Bangor University-trained osteopath then put his arm around Stroll’s waist, only to be whisked away moments later.

Stroll (24) was silent in his subsequent media interviews. He described his mood as ‘s***’. And asked what didn’t click for him, he snapped: “I don’t know.” Finally, pressed about how he would tackle the rest of the weekend, he said, ‘Keep driving.’ He then walked away.

Stroll’s future at Aston Martin has come into focus in recent weeks as his form has dipped. The Canadian sits on 47 points compared to Alonso’s 174 points, and the pressure of that contrast seems to be weighing on him.

The picture is blurred by the fact that Stroll’s father, fashion billionaire Lawrence, owns the team and has sponsored his son’s progress through the ranks.