Williams drive "hasn't really sunk in yet" - Stroll

Lance Stroll admits that it has not yet sunk in that he is a Formula One driver, despite the announcement being made over two months ago.

Stroll, 18, will line up for Williams next season for his debut year after winning the Formula Three European championship.

"I love Formula One, I've been watching it ever since I've been a little boy," he said at Autosport International on Saturday.

"It's incredible for me to think I'm here [as an F1 driver]. It hasn't really completely sunk in yet, I think I'm only going to feel it when I'm on the grid in Melbourne.

"Then you're obviously there and the lights are going to go off and you're going to have to forget everything and concentrate.

"It's a hell of a challenge - there's going to be a lot to learn during the year, there are going to be hard times, there's going to be good times. It's going to be an incredible journey."

Stroll has been putting in hundreds of laps in Williams' 2014 car, as well as gaining muscle at the gym which will be necessary to deal with the G-forces emitted in 2017.

"I've been reading manuals and learning switches to know," he said.

"And also a lot of preparation in the gym to get fit for this year's car, which is supposed to be a lot harder to drive.

"I've driven a Formula One car, that's good. It's better than not driving one at all and going straight from F3 to this year's car. I need to stay focused and be ready for this year's car, and this year's car's challenges are going to be different to what I learned in the 2014 car.

"It's another machine and it's another race car and I've been driving race cars my whole life."

Fergal Walsh