Lance Stroll says he doesn’t feel the need to prove himself amid speculation Sebastian Vettel could join Racing Point next year.
The Racing Point driver led the team’s qualifying effort today as they claimed third and fourth places on the grid for the Hungarian Grand Prix.Earlier this week reports linked Vettel to the seat currently occupied by Stroll’s team mate Sergio Perez. Yesterday the team’s CEO Otmar Szafnauer refused to confirm both its drivers will remain at the team next year.
Asked about the speculation surrounding the team’s future driver line-up, Stroll said: “I’m not too bothered about that.
“I’m just happy for myself and for my team, for everyone that worked so hard week in, week out to achieve the best possible result.
“The rest is kind of irrelevant. I’m just happy about the result today. We’ll see what the future holds.”
Stroll, who is in his second season alongside Perez at Racing Point, said he lacked confidence earlier in his F1 career.
“I’ve driven a pretty bad car the first couple of years in Formula 1 and it didn’t give me a lot of confidence,” he said. “So I struggled as a driver to drive around some of the limitations.
“Last year was a big learning year for me. I learnt a lot about myself and about my strengths and my weaknesses and I just worked on them over the course of last season and coming into this season. That ultimately leads to better results, better qualifying.
“So that pretty much sums it up. It’s just been some hard work away from the track and just learning on my end what I’ve got to do better and how I can be better, how I can get more out of myself.”
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Patrick (@paeschli)
18th July 2020, 17:12
He didn’t look too bad today. Let’s hope he keeps it up.
OOliver
18th July 2020, 17:16
When you read the shocking news that the company you work for is going to have to lay off some staff to improve shareholder value, then you panic a little only to remember you actually own the company.
BOSS
18th July 2020, 17:26
Lol
Broke84 (@broke84)
18th July 2020, 17:30
I’ve had some strong opinions about Strolls place on the grid but 2017 Baku and today were great. I’d be happy to be proven wrong. I’m looking forward to tomorrow.
Robbie (@robbie)
18th July 2020, 17:30
Really happy for LS and glad he is showing that after doing some learning and getting into a better car, that it was largely the poor cars that were the problem after all. But then we knew that and this really confirms how vital the car is in the game of racing. Keep it up LS.
Blazzz (@blazzz)
18th July 2020, 17:39
Lol why would Stroll be worried when his old man owns the F1 team? Nepotism is well and truely well.
SaMa (@f1g33k)
18th July 2020, 20:13
Nepotism it may be but for one it has been good to see the team survive and then make their way up the grid on account of Stroll Sr’s interest in the team which in turn came about due to Stroll Jr’s racing career. If the price for this is to have Stroll Jr only occasionally outperform his decidedly above-average team-mate, then you can do worse with pay drivers that never outqualify or out-race their team-mates.
Vettel’s performance today showed that he can still outperform his favoured team-mate and has not suddenly lost his speed. Hence, for one, I am okay with Perez being the one replaced, though I hope he finds a competitive mid-field drive.
DAllein (@)
18th July 2020, 17:44
Some parents get their kids biggest Lego sets, some get best Drones… some give their kids one of the fastest car in the world…
Such kids usually don’t have to worry their toys will be taken away.
Jere (@jerejj)
18th July 2020, 18:10
The amount of hate he’s received during his time racing in F1 has, for the most part, been quite unfair.
Robbie (@robbie)
18th July 2020, 18:16
Which is why I’m glad that he is showing more now that he has more car. Of course when I have defended him for having poor cars then I’m hit with his performance relative to his teammates in said poor cars. Glad to see him best his teammate for the day.
J_Oliver
18th July 2020, 21:20
No sure of that. When you really understand how he has got here, when you see how he loses pace against everybody in races and yet he has a seat. Doesn’t help that in most interviews a yellow Pirelli would probably be more interesting to hear.
RocketTankski
18th July 2020, 21:27
A rich young man like Lance was always going to stand out as an anomaly in a working class sport like F1. His appalling racing career in junior categories was always going to rile the haters who said he didn’t deserve to do big boy race car driving. If only his Dad had been a business failure who hated cars or if young Lance had taken to tennis instead. If only he was French or Spanish or British or German.
I jest of course.
He’s 21 and still learning and I think he’s doing a fine job really.
Nulla Pax (@nullapax)
18th July 2020, 22:34
I consider Lance to be a mediocre driver at best.
His starts are often fantastic but almost any other driver would do a better job in his seat.
Maybe stop letting Daddy fund your dreams and be your own man?
@1375
18th July 2020, 23:06
Lance seems like a relaxed guy, but the negativity he gets is so bad. Let’s say we give him a year or two and actually support the guy. He’s shown us what he can do in f3 and I’m sure the confidence will help a lot.
ben
19th July 2020, 0:51
Lance Stroll, F1 World Champion
If that happens, only then will I be a believer.
playstation361
20th July 2020, 14:57
Only time will tell.