Lance Stroll: "The money had to come from somewhere"
- Published on 21 Feb 2017 09:19
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- By: Fergal Walsh
Lance Stroll has played down the secrecy of his unprecedented private test programme as he prepares to debut in 2017. Stroll's billionaire father, Laurence, was key to getting his son a seat in Formula 1 for 2017.
When it was brought to him that his father's money was instrumental in allowing him a seat at Williams, Stroll admitted: "That was important, of course.
"Without him it would not have been possible. In this sport you need two things: talent and money. Others have sponsors but I have my father -- the money had to come from somewhere," said the 18-year-old.
Many experts believe that Stroll is far from a pay driver, as the Canadian won back-to-back junior series over the last three years, with the most prestigious being the Formula 3 European championship.
There have been suggestions that driver's who do not come from a background of money, such as Lewis Hamilton, are hungrier when it comes to chasing dreams in the sport. Stroll however, disagrees.
"I don't believe that," Stroll insisted. "No matter what I've done, I've always wanted to win. Once you're in the cockpit with the visor closed, it doesn't matter where you came from."
"People are looking more closely," he continued. "They want to know if I deserve the position I'm in. I'm grateful for the chances I've had but only I could win the championships I have -- you can't buy the super license points."
Stroll has been labelled as one of the most experienced rookie in terms of Formula 1 mileage, as the teen has been travelling worldwide driving Williams' 2014 car in preparation for the upcoming season.
"By Christmas I had done four two-day tests and a shakedown at Silverstone. Then Monza, Spielberg, Budapest, Barcelona and most recently in Abu Dhabi. Before the new season there will be a few outside of Europe but there is not yet the agreements with the circuits.
"I think Hamilton and Villeneuve did a lot of kilometres too," Stroll argued. "Everyone has their way of getting used to formula one. Valtteri (Bottas) did the Friday practice sessions."
Fergal Walsh
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Replies (12)
Login to replyVet5
Posts: 225
He has alot to prove he isnt just a pay driver
f1fan0101
Posts: 1,804
Everyone that says he is simply a pay driver didn't watch him in F3 in 2016
boudy
Posts: 1,168
Well he was in the top car in 2016 and that makes it so much easier. I agree with VET5, still a lot to prove. Don't care who footed the bill, Villeneuve seems to like him. After all the barbed comments of JV about youngsters starting in F1 it seems that Stroll is having a much easier ride. I hope all goes OK but I wonder if it will.
boudy
Posts: 1,168
Also I read somewhere that he has done more testing than any other Rookie entering F1. So you can't say that he did not come prepared. Would he have gotten there without the bankroll of his dad, maybe so, but definitly not that fast.
f1fan0101
Posts: 1,804
The margins of car difference in F3 is very small, plua he had 3 team mates in the same car that he blitzed
Laptom
Posts: 175
And his 2015 season?
f1fan0101
Posts: 1,804
He did very well, except for getting himself in a terrifying crash at Monza
menios
Posts: 12
i think its not good for the f1 to enter billionaire drivers, because they are already kind of successful so they are not as competitive as other drivers who came from a poorer background!!!
talktohenry
Posts: 362
Very good point, if you are a billionaire you've already made it in life no stress about money....
f1fan0101
Posts: 1,804
Is money relevant if his passion is racing?
calle.itw
Posts: 8,527
I wish him luck, I havent seen him race, and I dont know too much about him, but if he manages to keep up with Massa then I'll be impressed.