Lance Stroll is – alongside Max Verstappen – one of the biggest critics of the new F1 regulations. During the last race weekend in Miami, he was outspokenly harsh about the new focus on energy management. “We are destroying racing,” he said frustratedly. Yet he is not thinking about quitting; the Canadian still sees too much potential in Aston Martin, which he believes has all the resources to compete at the front.
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“It’s just sad,” sighed Lance Stroll ahead of Miami. “We are destroying racing with these rules.” Like Max Verstappen, the 27-year-old driver has already tried his luck in other racing series. For example, he swapped Formula 1 in April for the GT World Challenge Europe at Paul Ricard. Despite the disappointing result, it was a relief for the Canadian to race in the GT3 class. Many critics still accuse Stroll of being a so-called paydriver and would like to see him leave Formula 1 permanently. Despite his dislike of the current regulations, however, he is not thinking about quitting.
“It’s not like we didn’t see it coming,” he said about the challenges of the new engine formula. “Everyone has warned over the past year and a half – or however long it’s been – that it didn’t look good. What we have now is exactly what we expected.” Stroll admitted that it is ‘even more frustrating’ for Aston Martin, which is languishing at the back of the field due to the disappointing Honda engine. “Mercedes will undoubtedly be less affected,” he added. “But that’s just how Formula 1 works now. Hopefully, it will get better soon.”
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Not thinking about quitting
Stroll was then asked whether the new direction Formula 1 has taken affects his future in the sport. The Canadian has often appeared bored in recent years. “No,” he answered firmly. “I still have a lot of confidence in this project and we have not yet fully utilized our potential. We have Adrian Newey on board, a new factory, and a new wind tunnel,” he listed. “There is so much potential in this team. I want to be there when we reach the level I know we can achieve. If in two or three years I’m sitting at home on the couch and see two green cars at the front, that would really sting me. So yes, I want to be part of that.”
“Hopefully, the cars will become better and more fun to drive in the meantime,” he added as a caveat. “That’s what all drivers want; it’s not just my opinion. Some drivers can say that out loud, others can’t because of contracts and such,” Stroll revealed finally. “But I really hope these cars get much better in the coming years, so we get real Formula 1 cars again.”
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