A DECENT RACE
L
ance Stroll almost got to experience
the full package on his first weekend in
Formula One, hitting speeds exceeding
320 kph, clipping a wall, being handed a grid
penalty and skidding through the gravel.
All that was missing was the finish.
The 18-year-old Canadian didn’t make
it to the finish in his debut for Williams at the
season-opening Australian Grand Prix, retiring
after an eventful 40 laps around the Albert Park
circuit.
“We were running a decent race and the
pace was pretty good,” Stroll said. “I had a
good start, which was risky although I didn’t
plan on it being quite so risky! Some guys
braked quite early in front of me and I managed
to gain some places.
“Then we managed to have a surprisingly
good race. It was my first race, and first
weekend, so there are a few positives to take
out of it.”
Stroll graduated from development driver to
a seat in F1 this season for Williams, which lost
Valtteri Bottas to Mercedes.
The son of billionaire investor Lawrence
Stroll is mentored by former Ferrari sporting
director Luca Baldisserri and won the Formula
3 European championship in 2016.
His first taste of the top level was one he
put down to experience, having started at the
back of the grid after getting a penalty for a
gearbox change following his crash in FP3.
“Unfortunately, that incident cost us a lot of
positions in qualifying,” said Stroll, whose top
speed was among the fastest in the race, “but
I enjoyed myself and so a big thank you to the
team.”