Stroll to replace Massa at Williams (5th Update)
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| Lance Stroll will drive for Williams as daddy buys part of team |
This rumor is upgraded to 'fact' today and it is reflected on our 2017 F1 Silly Season Page. Lance Stroll's father has confirmed growing reports the Canadian driver will definitely be on the F1 grid in 2017.
Reports have suggested Williams is only delaying the announcement because it is waiting for Stroll to turn 18 later this month, in deference to the team's alcohol sponsor Martini.
Lance's father is Lawrence Stroll, a Canadian fashion billionaire, who is rumored to be buying into Williams.
He told the Journal de Montreal: "Lance will be in F1 next year. You can write it in black and white."
New European F3 champion Lance is currently a Williams development driver, and taking part in a special test program in one of the British team's 2014 cars.
It is suggested Lance's successful campaign this year has been significantly backed by his father, with Williams even installing engineers at the Prema team.
And rumors suggest Stroll's Williams team backing will tip the scales in excess of $30 million next year.
But Lawrence insisted his son has also worked hard.
"You cannot know how hard he has worked since the beginning of his career," he said. "The road was long and arduous at times, but this (F3 championship) is the best reward.
"Now he reaches his ultimate goal of F1. I am convinced he will be successful."
Asked if Canadian journalists should make their travel plans for the first race in Melbourne next March, Lawrence smiled: "Yes, I strongly recommend it."
It is rumored Williams' official announcement of the Stroll deal will take place in London on 3 November, but Lawrence is not confirming it.
"We are studying two (team) options," he said. "You will know everything in a few weeks."
There is plenty of skepticism about Stroll's rapid rise to F1, especially when the 2014 F3 champion, Esteban Ocon, had to spend a year in GP3 before making the jump.
But Ocon said: "If I had been as fortunate, I would have done the same thing.
"The transition from F3 to F1 is possible, as demonstrated by other drivers. He clearly deserves his place in F1," the Manor driver added.
10/14/16 Williams is almost certain to wait a few more weeks to confirm that youngster Lance Stroll is making the step up to Formula 1 with the Grove-based outfit next year, in a bid to avoid problems with sponsors Martini.
While further pieces of F1’s driver market are falling in to place, with Renault confirming on Friday that it has lured Nico Hulkenberg away from Force India, Williams has kept silent about its plans for 2017.
However, sources have revealed that it wants to wait a few more weeks to confirm that Stroll will be replacing Felipe Massa as Valtteri Bottas' teammate next year.
That is because Stroll, who clinched the European Formula 3 championship this year, is still just 17 – and confirmation of his association with the Martini-backed Williams team could have led to complications because he is under 18.
So in a bid to ensure that Martini can maximize the arrival of Stroll, an announcement of the team’s line-up is likely to only come after the Canadian turns 18 on October 29 – which is the Saturday of the Mexican Grand Prix.
Williams may then choose to announce it in Mexico or wait until the following week.
09/21/16
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| Lance Stroll is talented. Son of Canadian Billionaire Lawrence Stroll who is paying $35 million per year for his son's ride. |
(GMM) Lance Stroll has signed a contract to make his F1 debut for Williams in 2017.
That is the clear claim of the Finnish newspaper Turun Sanomat, adding that the probability that the teenage Canadian's teammate will be Valtteri Bottas is "high".
The report said Stroll, the European F3 leader whose father is the fashion mogul Lawrence Stroll, is bringing no less than $35 million a year to the Grove team.
Meanwhile, Speed Week reports that Williams is hoping its signing of Kimi Raikkonen and Fernando Alonso's former Ferrari engineer Antonio Spagnolo will help in the crucial area of tire performance.
"We have not had many people in the area of tires," said Bottas, "but now we have someone only concentrating on tires.
"It helps now but it will help even more in the future," he added.
09/05/16
(GMM) Williams looks set to replace the retiring Felipe Massa with Canadian rookie Lance Stroll for 2017.
Earlier, Jenson Button was a leading candidate to replace Massa next year, but the Briton announced at Monza that he is taking a sabbatical and can return only with McLaren in 2018.
Speed Week reports that "various sources" are now reporting that Williams' next lineup will be Valtteri Bottas alongside Stroll, who will be just 18 if he makes his grand prix debut in Melbourne next March.
Stroll, whose father is the fashion billionaire Lawrence Stroll, is currently a Williams development driver and the championship leader of European F3.
A F1 team boss said at Monza: "It's a done deal, provided that he gets a super license from the FIA."
Marc Surer, a former F1 driver working as a pundit for German television, commented: "For me it is clear — Williams needs money and the Stroll family has it.
"Luckily, young Stroll also has a lot of talent."
09/04/16 It is believed Lance Stroll, the son of Canadian fashion billionaire Lawrence Stroll, is now in pole for the Williams seat with up to $35m of backing in tow.
08/07/16 Rising Canadian racing star Lance Stroll is open to moves into Formula 1, IndyCar and GP2 for 2017, but is focusing on winning the FIA European Formula 3 title before deciding on a next step writes Luke Smith of NBC Sports.
Stroll, 17, currently leads the FIA European F3 standings by 61 points with nine races remaining, taking seven wins with Prema Powerteam during his sophomore single-seater season.
Stroll previously enjoyed ties with Ferrari and is currently on the books of Williams, leading to speculation about a possible move into F1 next year due to his incredible F3 form.
However, Stroll's first goal is to win the F3 title and not get distracted by speculation of a move up into an F1 seat.
"Prema, the last eight months I've been with them, it's been fantastic," Stroll said.
"I think their co-operation with me in F3 is great. Their understanding of me just focusing on F3 100%, not getting distracted with Formula 1, that's really great.
"They just want me to finish a championship, they're not pressuring me in any way to jump into a Formula 1 car and do a test. They just want me to focus on one thing at a time.
"I've never even driven a Formula 1 car so I don't have a very good idea of what it's really like, I just watch the races of course.
"I think when I have a couple of tests under my belt and I have a bit more experience in F1, I'll get a much better idea of if I'm ready or not. Because now it's just totally blind for me.
"I've driven F3, I've driven a couple of other categories, but I've never really sat in an F1 car and taken it out for a run, so I don't know what it's like, I don't know how much different it is from what I'm doing now, how much more complicated, how much tougher.
"All those things I'll figure out. If it is just another step and if I'm comfortable in the car, I don't see why not. F3's a very high level."
Stroll does not feel under any pressure to emulate Max Verstappen, who jumped up from F3 to F1 at the age of 17 before becoming the youngest winner in grand prix history.
"We've seen Max of course, he's an exception, I don't want to use him as an example. He's got the opportunity," Stroll said.
"I believe [Esteban] Ocon, even [Felix] Rosenqvist, these guys are able to do it. Now it's my year. I'm leading the championship, it's not done yet.
"But I think I've got to a level where I'm able to step up into an F1 seat if the opportunity comes."
Although Stroll has time on his side, he wants to make the most of opportunities that come his way, making GP2 and IndyCar possible options for 2017.
"I don't want to rush. I'm not 25 years old, I'm still 17, so I do have time ahead of me," Stroll said.
"But that's a thing that's important. We can't just think we have time, take another year and another year because before you know it, it's too late and there's another 17 year old!
"One thing at a time. This year, we're concentrating on this championship.
"And then next year, we'll be in whatever it is: GP2, F1, IndyCar – whatever comes up, we'll conquer next.
"Prema are extremely competitive, beyond expectations for their first season in GP2. That is a link. If Prema want to make a deal and a sensible choice for us, that's another good option."
Although Stroll has enjoyed support from his father, Lawrence, he is happy to have answered his critics on-track with a stunning season in FIA European F3.
"All I can do is go out and do the best I can. I have won, I am winning at the moment," Stroll said.
"For sure it's frustrating, I think I don't get all the credit sometimes I deserve, but I try not to look at all those negative things. I try and really be positive.
"I know I'm the guy sitting in the cockpit driving the car and the other stuff, that's just details.
"The people who understand that, good for them. The people who want to be jealous or want to find excuses, then I don't waste my time with them."
Besides F3, Stroll also raced for Chip Ganassi Racing in the Rolex 24 at Daytona in January, finishing fifth on debut alongside Alexander Wurz, Brendon Hartley and Andy Priaulx.
Team boss Chip Ganassi was hugely impressed by Stroll's ability and hopes to work with the Canadian again in the future, even if he knows bigger offers may fall his way.
"He's doing great in F3 but I'm not surprised as I was very impressed with him when he raced with us at the Rolex in January," Ganassi said.
"He quickly adapted to his first time in a sports car, first time at Daytona, first time in a 24 hour race, first time racing at night and first time ‘sharing' his race car with others.
"He's an intelligent kid with bags of potential and has a great future ahead of him. I know his dream is F1 but I hope I get the chance of running him again."
Mercedes Formula 1 boss Toto Wolff also thinks highly of Stroll, believing his maturity to outstrip his 17 years.
"I obviously need to keep an eye on other formulae and Lance is certainly doing very well in Formula 3 this season," Wolff said.
"He's shown great speed, consistency and maturity this year. His speed can be seen with multiple front row starts and I think now seven wins.
"His maturity is evident and he's not even 18. When the time comes I'm certain he'll be ready and competitive in Formula 1."
"Formula 1's the objective," Stroll adds. "However we get there, whenever we get there – I don't know. We'll wait and see." Luke Smith/NBC Sports