Montreal's Lance Stroll aiming for best result at home Grand Prix

Lance Stroll feels he's finally driving a car that can compete with the best on home soil.

The 24-year-old from Montreal heads into this Sunday's Canadian Grand Prix driving for an Aston Martin team that's third in the Formula One constructors' standings and viewed by many as the second-best team behind Red Bull this year.

"Yeah, it is, for sure," Stroll said when asked if he was driving a good car in Montreal for the first time. "Definitely some more opportunity this year than maybe in other years."

In four Canadian GP's, Stroll's best result is ninth place (2017, 2019). He's off to the best start of his career this year, currently eighth in the drivers' standings.

Despite that, and the quality of his car, Stroll hasn't yet proven he can drive it to its full potential. Meanwhile, teammate Fernando Alonso has.

The 41-year-old veteran and two-time world champion is having a career resurgence in his first season with Aston Martin, outclassing Stroll with five podiums to zero and 99 points to 35.

Alonso is third in the drivers' standings behind Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez of Red Bull, and his success is putting added pressure on Stroll to get results.

Aston Martin team principal Mike Krack said he believes those will come.

"Well, first of all, he needs a bit more luck, which he didn't have," Krack said, noting a mistake made by the team in Miami and some damage to the vehicle in Monaco. "We have a car that can do it, and he will do it. So I think if the car is there, he will be there."

Krack also believes Stroll hasn't received enough credit for returning so quickly from injury early this season and making the best of a bad situation.

Stroll missed pre-season testing after crashing his bike while training in Spain on