Stroll has been in charge of the British team since they were originally under the Racing Point name in 2020, and has invested heavily in state-of-the-art facilities and key arrivals such as legendary designer and new team principal Adrian Newey.

Despite the backing, Aston Martin have had a miserable start to 2026, finishing the final Bahrain winter test as the slowest team, behind newcomers Cadillac, and with the fewest laps completed (128) due to worrying power unit troubles.

Speaking on Sky Sports Germany's Backstage Boxengasse podcast, former Williams man Schumacher, younger brother of Michael, shared his thoughts on Aston Martin's concerning start, with team owner Stroll front and centre of his criticism.

Schumacher said: "I have to say: we are not always the biggest supporters of the whole project. And sometimes I also have to say: Lawrence Stroll has such his own way of doing things.

“He doesn't really talk to anyone. You see him, but he hardly gives interviews. But he hasn't earned this by a long shot.

"It obviously creates a huge problem within the team. I think Lawrence is under enormous pressure because he more or less acts as an autocrat.

“I am curious to see if he can withstand the pressure from the investors, because seemingly he is making the decisions on his own.”

The six-time Grand Prix winner then said it was crucial that Aston Martin's key figures do not "destroy each other," aware that patience could be wearing thin for the likes of Fernando Alonso, who Schumacher believes is in his final year of F1.

"Above all, they must now avoid destroying each other internally," Schumacher added.

“This is going to be a huge test of patience. Alonso is supposedly in his last year and will be anything but happy, probably on the contrary, enormously frustrated.

“We also know about Lance [Stroll]: he is not someone who stays cheerful when things are not going his way. There have reportedly been quite a few loud discussions.

"And Adrian is obviously also very disappointed with the whole situation, no doubt. He had imagined all this more beautifully. The pressure is on."

Reserve driver Stoffel Vandoorne has offered his insights into Aston Martin's tough start to 2026, choosing to highlight the difficulties caused by Adrian Newey's late arrival in March 2025.

Vandoorne expressed hope that Aston can make "big steps" off the back of pre-season in Bahrain, but admitted Newey's late arrival to the team "certainly hasn't helped."