The final stage of qualifying for Sunday's race in Sao Paulo began with rainfall expected to emerge partway through the session, as dark clouds rolled over the circuit.
This precipitated a rush to get a banker lap in at the start of the session, and Aston Martin took the initiative by queuing up at the pitlane exit first in a bid to beat the incoming inclement weather.
Stroll managed to outqualify team-mate Fernando Alonso on their laps after the Spaniard was first onto the road but, as weather conditions worsened, pace began to decline and only polesitter Max Verstappen and runner-up Charles Leclerc overcame the Aston Martins.
"I don't think we were lucky today; I think we made our own luck," Stroll replied to a question asking if Aston Martin's result was largely through good fortune.
"I think we did well going to the front of the queue and getting good track position. And, yeah, the weather was coming in, so I think that was smart."
A change in wind direction, which Verstappen explained was a switch from a moderate tailwind down the start-finish straight to a brisk headwind, ensured that many of the drivers struggled to navigate sector two with the same precision compared to Q1 and Q2, resulting in a drop in ultimate lap time.
Source: Autosport