Jacques Villeneuve warns Lance Stroll of F1 challenges

Jacques Villeneuve has fired a warning to compatriot Lance Stroll ahead of his Formula One début.

The Canadian teenager will join the F1 grid next year with Williams, having won the European Formula Three championship this year.

Stroll is the son of fashion magnate Lawrence Stroll, leading many to label him as a "pay driver", despite championship titles in F4, F3, and the Toyota Racing Series.

But 1997 world champion Jacques Villeneuve has said that Strolls lucrative backing doesn't mean he is lacking talent.

"I did say that money does not buy talent and I stand by that statement," the former Williams driver told the Journal de Montreal.

"But money doesn't mean you don't have talent," Villeneuve insisted. "Money allows you to enter through the front door."

However, despite a strong junior record, Villeneuve has said Stroll's previous record is no guarantee of success in F1.

"Winning F3 doesn't mean anything," he said. "There are so many drivers who have won in F3 but nothing afterwards. And others who did nothing in F3 and exploded in F1."

Although critical of 'pay drivers', Villeneuve has praised Stoll's father for the way he has handled his career.

"He made the right choices and was able to prepare his son, who in turn delivered the goods," said Villeneuve.

But F1, will present a bigger challenge for Stroll.

"It remains to be seen how Lance will evolve psychologically in F1," he said. "He will no longer be protected by your father but instead left rather to himself.

"He is very quick and has talent, but he has not yet learned to suffer. Lance has fought to win races, but he has not fought to survive in motor sport.

"He has not finished learning, and I'm anxious to see how he will react."