Lance Stroll - The Jolyon Palmer of 2017

Current Formula One related news, information and discussion.
User avatar
Everso Biggyballies
Legendary Member
Legendary Member
Posts: 48991
Joined: 18 years ago
Real Name: Chris
Favourite Motorsport: Anything that goes left and right.
Favourite Racing Car: Too Many to mention
Favourite Driver: Kimi,Niki,Jim(none called Michael)
Favourite Circuit: Nordschleife, Spa, Mt Panorama.
Car(s) Currently Owned: Audi SQ5 3.0L V6 TwinTurbo
Location: Just moved 3 klms further away so now 11 klms from Albert Park, Melbourne.

#16

Post by Everso Biggyballies »

Bottom post of the previous page:

Well I know he had Williams F1 engineers and team personnel running his F3 car.
Re the Williams F1 simulator IIRC it was indeed rejigged to simulate his F3 car, meaning Bottas and Massa had no simulator to use for the latter part of the season. Not sure about the dodgy bits.
He also had a specially converted 2014 Williams F1 car (to get round the no testing current cars rule,) and did extensive tests in it at tracks all over the globe. I read somewhere in the course of the season he did more miles testing than both Massa and Bottas (combined) did racing in GPs

* I started life with nothing, and still have most of it left


“Good drivers have dead flies on the side windows!” (Walter Röhrl)

* I married Miss Right. Just didn't know her first name was Always
User avatar
roo
New Member
New Member
Posts: 42
Joined: 8 years ago
Location: FR77
Contact:

#17

Post by roo »

I hope he has learnt something from the past seasons but I somehow doubt it.
Williams deserve the budget he must bring but is it worth it when it will likely be spent on rebuilding his car rather than developing it?
User avatar
MonteCristo
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 10660
Joined: 8 years ago
Favourite Motorsport: Openwheel
Favourite Racing Car: Tyrrell P34/Protos
Favourite Driver: JV
Favourite Circuit: Road America
Location: Brisbane, Australia

#18

Post by MonteCristo »

roo wrote:I hope he has learnt something from the past seasons but I somehow doubt it.
Williams deserve the budget he must bring but is it worth it when it will likely be spent on rebuilding his car rather than developing it?
He's only 18 now. Was 17 during the 2016 racing season, and 16 in the 2015 racing season. He would have learned a lot racing winged cars in these past two years.

The question is: how much is talent; how much is money-bought performance. I dare say he's more talented than an Alex Yoong, for instance. But I highly, highly doubt he's another Max.
Oscar Piastri in F1! Catch the fever! Vettel Hate Club. Life membership.

2012 GTP Non-Championship Champion | 2012 Guess the Kai-Star Half Marathon Time Champion | 2018 GTP Champion | 2019 GTP Champion
User avatar
kals
Legendary Member
Legendary Member
Posts: 28276
Joined: 16 years ago
Real Name: Kieran
Favourite Motorsport: F1..BTCC..MotoGP
Favourite Racing Car: Benetton B189
Favourite Circuit: Donington Park
Location: New Jersey

#19

Post by kals »

MotorsportMagazine.com wrote:Is Lance Stroll ready for Formula 1?
by Sam Smith on 13th February 2017

The second youngest man to race in Formula 1, Lance Stroll is worthy of a seat despite what some say. His father may have paid the 18 year old's way, but it is talent that's got him the Williams seat

Two and a half years ago Lance Stroll made his first appearance in Motor Sport magazine. He was catalogued as a driver to watch, the dawn of a journey that has since catapulted him into a Williams race seat by the age of 18. He’s done it by winning races and championships. He’s done it on merit.

But back to Imola, June 2014. Stroll was competing in only his second European car race and looked every bit the adolescent prodigy as he examined his Tatuus chassis beneath the Prema Powerteam Formula 4 awning, although the Prancing Horse logos on his overalls hinted that this was no ordinary racing wannabe. The presence of former Ferrari team principal Stefano Domenicali and Ferrari Driver Academy boss Luca Baldisserri was a touch incongruous in a paddock that otherwise had a pleasing ‘clubbie’ ambience.

Caressing an espresso while keeping an eye on the F4 car, Domenicali told me: “Lance is a very impressive young man, both in and out of the cockpit. His racecraft is developing of course, because he is just out of karts, but the talent is certainly there for sure. He has shown great maturity in his racing. He should be a big asset to Ferrari’s future.”

Less than three years later, Stroll has moved on. The Scuderia has bigger fish to fry as it tries to recover from a wretched 2016 season. It hasn’t nurtured a young driver and taken them all the way to the top since it recruited Felipe Massa to its race team in 2006. Could Ferrari’s loss be Williams’s gain? The jury hasn’t even convened as yet, but already Stroll’s graduation to has been highly divisive.

On the one hand his record in junior single-seater categories is almost faultless. He has taken three titles (2014 Toyota Racing Series, 2014 Italian F4, 2016 European F3) and 26 race wins in a career that has featured several constants – top-notch budgets and, in Prema, a crack team. Nevertheless, he has delivered.

No doubt the boy has abundant talent, but he has also enjoyed (and never hidden) extensive financial support from his father, billionaire retail magnate Lawrence Stroll. So what? He’s not exactly the first rookie to arrive in F1 with a few bags of brass. There’s nothing new there.

Stroll is entering the top level at perhaps the best and worst of times.

He comes to Williams during a period of significant transition. Much has changed at the team’s Grove HQ since the flag dropped in Abu Dhabi last November. Confirmed team-mate Valtteri Bottas has departed to Mercedes, to be replaced by the unretired Massa, while Pat Symonds, Christian Silk (engineering project manager) and Jason Somerville (head of aerodynamics) have also moved on. Meanwhile, Paddy Lowe has left Mercedes to rejoin Williams, a team he served from 1987-1993.

These changes could be perfectly timed for Stroll. Even at such a tender age, the chance to build a team around him will surely pay dividends in seasons to come.

Massa, who by all accounts is back for his second valedictory season, will provide Stroll with a rich bank of knowledge. He’d be foolish not to heed Massa as the Brazilian’s experience encompasses several periods of regulatory shift within F1 – and he knows all about the cornering forces with which drivers will have to cope as wider tyres return.

Stroll has accumulated a great deal of testing mileage in a 2014-spec Williams, and is not short of simulator time, but will this be enough to help him develop the physical attributes required to handle the increased downforce?

His has arguably been the most exhaustive F1 preparation since autumn 1995, when countryman Jacques Villeneuve put in some serious testing miles ahead of his rookie year. But with higher grip levels and, potentially, the added importance of a strong qualifying position (with overtaking opportunities likely to be reduced), could Stroll be at a disadvantage?

Motor Sport can reveal that Stroll will be working with race engineer James Urwin and performance engineer Paul Davison – and this far the Canadian is said to have made a positive impression on his new colleagues. He is also said to have transformed his physique, further evidence of application and a work ethic that have never been questioned.

One man who will be very interested to see how Stroll’s season shapes up is his former mentor Felix Rosenqvist. The pair were team-mates in the 2015 FIA European F3 Championship, which Rosenqvist won. The master and apprentice relationship continued in 2016 as the Swede, now racing in Formula E, attended many races as a driver coach for Prema Powerteam and spent much time with Stroll.

“I think Lance can do well,” Rosenqvist says. “He is up for the challenge, he’s a quick learner and is very motivated. Working with him is fun, but he is really serious about his racing and is ambitious. I don’t think age will be a massive factor, but with the regulation changes who knows? As always in racing it is about what he has beneath him and the hardware he is given, but the first season in F1 has to be about the experience and learning. Everyone does this, no matter who you are or where you come from.

"I am confident he will surprise many people and I see no reason why he will not do a good job in his first season.”

At 18 years and 5 months he will be the second youngest driver to ever enter F1 – after Max Verstappen. Time, in every sense is his, but the emphasis in 2017 will be to learn from his team, his team-mate and those around him.

And here’s a footnote that might make some of you feel old. When Villeneuve turned up for the 1998 Japanese Grand Prix, his last for Williams, Stroll’s mother Claire-Ann was in a Montréal hospital giving birth to the next Canadian who would race for the team…
User avatar
caneparo
Legendary Member
Legendary Member
Posts: 14606
Joined: 20 years ago
Real Name: Toni
Favourite Racing Car: Ferrari
Favourite Circuit: Monza
Car(s) Currently Owned: Fiat 500X
Location: Milan
Contact:

#20

Post by caneparo »

Don t judge a book by its cover. I ll wait to race 5 before i destroy him (on words)
I am from Italy, a country known for its history, cars, food, wine, and horny men
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Forged-In ... 565?ref=ts
User avatar
kals
Legendary Member
Legendary Member
Posts: 28276
Joined: 16 years ago
Real Name: Kieran
Favourite Motorsport: F1..BTCC..MotoGP
Favourite Racing Car: Benetton B189
Favourite Circuit: Donington Park
Location: New Jersey

#21

Post by kals »

Race 5 is hardly fair. Massa is a prime example of someone that needs time to bed in a mature. In 2002 he had raw talent and yet his reputation was wild and poor. His 2003 testing spell for Ferrari meant by 2004 he was much more grounded.

5 races into a career is meaningless. Even Vettel looked dodgy midway through 2008, crashing more often than not and finishing a fair few first laps in the gravel (not always his fault).
User avatar
caneparo
Legendary Member
Legendary Member
Posts: 14606
Joined: 20 years ago
Real Name: Toni
Favourite Racing Car: Ferrari
Favourite Circuit: Monza
Car(s) Currently Owned: Fiat 500X
Location: Milan
Contact:

#22

Post by caneparo »

Of course it s too early...i was joking. I am just saying that it s quite sad to see a driver entering f1 at 18 only for the dads hand, and this is said despite the talent
I am from Italy, a country known for its history, cars, food, wine, and horny men
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Forged-In ... 565?ref=ts
User avatar
Ian-S
Legendary Member
Legendary Member
Posts: 10232
Joined: 16 years ago

#23

Post by Ian-S »

If he isn't consistent top 3 by Bahrain, then Red Bull will sack him.... oh wait nevermind.
I am very sorry if you find my posts long and boring, I like to type and often go off on a tangent.
If this is the case, you may click here to solve the problem, or alternatively here too.
User avatar
kals
Legendary Member
Legendary Member
Posts: 28276
Joined: 16 years ago
Real Name: Kieran
Favourite Motorsport: F1..BTCC..MotoGP
Favourite Racing Car: Benetton B189
Favourite Circuit: Donington Park
Location: New Jersey

#24

Post by kals »

Ian-S wrote:If he isn't consistent top 3 by Bahrain, then Red Bull will sack him.... oh wait nevermind.
Thanks for your input Helmut ;)
User avatar
Matt
Gold Member
Gold Member
Posts: 606
Joined: 20 years ago
Real Name: Matt
Favourite Motorsport: Formula One
Favourite Racing Car: Brawn BGP 001
Favourite Driver: Gilles Villeneuve
Favourite Circuit: Old Spa
Contact:

#25

Post by Matt »

I seem to be in the minority, but I think this guy is genuinely good and ready for F1. His Dad's rich, yes, but that's not really his fault and he's shown real pace in junior formulas. Immaturity too, but hey - those formulas are there to teach kids lessons, right? It's incredibly rare that you see a guy come up through the ranks looking like a seasoned world champion right from the get-go.

I watched him take part in the Toyota Racing Series in New Zealand over the winter (our winter, anyway) of 2015 and he looked really good there too and won the title. He was also very handy last season. I reckon he's going to surprise people this season, and in a good way. There's no doubt his Dad's wealth has smoothed the path for him, but I reckon he's got the talent to back it up.
User avatar
caneparo
Legendary Member
Legendary Member
Posts: 14606
Joined: 20 years ago
Real Name: Toni
Favourite Racing Car: Ferrari
Favourite Circuit: Monza
Car(s) Currently Owned: Fiat 500X
Location: Milan
Contact:

#26

Post by caneparo »

So can we draw a line and evaluate the debut of #richkid$$$?
I am from Italy, a country known for its history, cars, food, wine, and horny men
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Forged-In ... 565?ref=ts
User avatar
theracer120
Elite Member
Elite Member
Posts: 6218
Joined: 15 years ago
Real Name: Simon
Location: Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

#27

Post by theracer120 »

He was a bit wild in the early stages, but other then that I didn't think he was all that bad in the race otherwise. The off was apparently due to braking problems, so if that's the case then we can give him a free pass on that.
User avatar
erwin greven
Staff
Staff
Posts: 20027
Joined: 19 years ago
Real Name: Erwin Greven
Favourite Motorsport: Endurance Racing
Favourite Racing Car: Lancia Delta 038 S4 Group B
Favourite Driver: Ronnie Peterson
Favourite Circuit: Nuerburgring Nordschleife
Car(s) Currently Owned: Peugeot 206 SW Air-Line 3 2007
Location: Stadskanaal, Groningen
Contact:

#28

Post by erwin greven »

Sometimes talent comes fast, sometimes it takes a while. Look at Villeneuve's first two seasons in F1 (1977/1978). He wrote off Ferrari's in a rate that even the engineers and mechanics doubted that he was the right one.
Brian Redman: "Mr. Fangio, how do you come so fast?" "More throttle, less brakes...."
User avatar
caneparo
Legendary Member
Legendary Member
Posts: 14606
Joined: 20 years ago
Real Name: Toni
Favourite Racing Car: Ferrari
Favourite Circuit: Monza
Car(s) Currently Owned: Fiat 500X
Location: Milan
Contact:

#29

Post by caneparo »

Gilles was damn fast at debut whule stroll...
I am from Italy, a country known for its history, cars, food, wine, and horny men
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Forged-In ... 565?ref=ts
User avatar
erwin greven
Staff
Staff
Posts: 20027
Joined: 19 years ago
Real Name: Erwin Greven
Favourite Motorsport: Endurance Racing
Favourite Racing Car: Lancia Delta 038 S4 Group B
Favourite Driver: Ronnie Peterson
Favourite Circuit: Nuerburgring Nordschleife
Car(s) Currently Owned: Peugeot 206 SW Air-Line 3 2007
Location: Stadskanaal, Groningen
Contact:

#30

Post by erwin greven »

Give the lad more time. He was not the only one who crashed.
Brian Redman: "Mr. Fangio, how do you come so fast?" "More throttle, less brakes...."
User avatar
kals
Legendary Member
Legendary Member
Posts: 28276
Joined: 16 years ago
Real Name: Kieran
Favourite Motorsport: F1..BTCC..MotoGP
Favourite Racing Car: Benetton B189
Favourite Circuit: Donington Park
Location: New Jersey

#31

Post by kals »

Apart from locking his brakes into T1 and narrowly avoiding a collision, he drove solidly. Fair enough. To expect much more would mean incorrect expectations.
Post Reply