Current Lance Stroll

He only signed for Williams a few days ago but there has already been a large amount of discussion about Lance Stroll. It was suggested he needed his own thread so here it is.

Lance Stroll first came on to my own radar when watching the Toyota Racing Series in New Zealand during Jan 2015. Often used as a warm-up for young talent pre-season to get them used to proper car racing its always close racing. Lance was the tender age of 16 and part of the Ferrari young driver program. He was also massively impressive with 10 podiums (4 wins) from 16 races in a car he'd hardly driven and tracks he'd never raced on. He was the eventual champion and I mentally stored him as someone to watch out for. From the Toyota series he went straight into European F3 for the 2015 series and unfortunately I felt like he was dwarfed somewhat by the rest of the field who had more experience than him. He was going up against the likes of Felix Rosenquist, Antonio Giovanazzi and Charles LeClerc who were all older and looked far more impressive. Looking back on it though he didn't actually do too bad. One win, 4 podiums and 5th in the championship is not bad for a 16 year old, also if you look at his results he got stronger and stronger as the season went on which was a sure sign he was learning.

2016 saw Lance take it up a step, he has clearly been dominant in the F3 series and has 14 wins and the title with the series not even being finished yet. It was during this year that I learned something new about Lance. I learnt his father was a billionaire. Why did I learn this? Well he was suddenly being connected to the Williams F1 race seat, apparently due to his father investing heavily in the team. This appears to have been met with considerable vitriol from some quarters who are suggesting he is buying his way into F1 and doesn't deserve the seat. Stroll turned 18 on the 28th October which meant the Martini sponsored Williams team could finally announce him as a driver and within days there were already people writing about nepotism and putting $ in the spelling of his name. All this before he's even turned a wheel. Its a bit of a shame really that a driver who has been so utterly dominant of a highly rated junior series should be labelled a 'pay-driver'. The same people have probably spent the last few years moaning about Williams conservative driver choice in the form of Massa, so you think the promotion of an 18 year old F3 champion would be warmly welcomed.

On the driving front its really hard to know what to expect from Stroll in 2017 due to the fact that we have no idea where the Williams car will be. I have a horrible feeling that Williams are a team in decline and that Stroll is going to suffer for it. I also don't think he'll be quick straight out of the blocks either, which might give the haters an excuse. Stroll's pattern over the last two years is to be paired with a more experienced team mate and gradually learn the ropes and start to shine later in the year. I expect this to be repeated and for him to be out done by Bottas until at least the summer break. I wouldn't be surprised to see him start to get on level terms from then on it. Lets face it, Bottas comes highly rated so if he starts to beat him he's going to gain some kudos.

Lastly I think its great for F1 to have a Canadian back on the grid (Robert Wickens should have got a seat a while back by the way) as its a country that loves the sport and it'll be great for them to have someone to cheer on.
 
RasputinLives you should read my first post, in which I clearly stated it was an F3 simulator. Furthermore I never stated that he is the most prepared driver.

I don't have an anti-money thing going on, as I am fully aware that money plays are vital role in the sport - as I have stated before in some post somewhere here in this forum.

At least show that you make an effort to understand a text.....
 
the regulations in 2017 are going to change which potentially equalises the established drivers and the rookies in terms of performance but then again we might see men vs boys
 
CLAIRE WILLIAMS, DEPUTY TEAM PRINCIPAL, WILLIAMS:

“He’s just proved his credentials, that he deserves this seat in Formula 1 next year. This year alone he’s annihilated the F3 championship, he’s won 14 out of the 30 races, so nearly 50 per cent of those races this year he’s won. Prior to that, he’s been series champion in the Toyota Racing Series in New Zealand and then the F4 Championship as well.”

She's right! The young guy has the results, but father surely helped a lot!
 
His F3 teammates helped a bit as well, they jumped out of his way when needed. Still, good luck to the lad. If nothing else Bottas needs a wake up.
 
His F3 teammates helped a bit as well, they jumped out of his way when needed

Heh little George Russell started that ball rolling in race one of the season when he seemed to get past Cassidy fairly easy. I'm not inclined to believe it too much if I'm honest, although as Cassidy wasn't doing full programme it would have made sense for Prema.

A decent Williams car would help as well. Maybe a billionaire as a sponsor might do.

Stroll senior invested in Prema as an F3 team and they are now the leading team in GP2 so it can work.
 
Wow. Aggressive. Grrr.

You're free to predict what you like. I didn't say he Wouldn't. Just said I thought it was a bit early. Mind if I ask what your basing it on?
 
First of all, he doesn't appear as mature in comparison to Verstappen who was just as young. He has also crashed three times in two days but that's what pre-season testing is for, right?
 
I Don't think Verstappen is mature. I think he gets into a lot of unnecessary scraps because of his youthful lust for racing. Great talent though.

Stroll is a completely different type of driver in the fact he builds and learns rather than the instant hit like Max. His second season in F3 was light years better than his first. Maybe he just needs time.

As I said far too early for ME to make a prediction.
 
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