Lance Stroll made his GT3 debut last weekend: Although the result still offered room for improvement, the Formula 1 driver has clearly tasted blood
In sporting terms, Aston Martin driver Lance Stroll’s GT3 debut did not go as planned: together with his team-mates Mari Boya and ex-Formula 1 driver Roberto Merhi, the Canadian finished 48th out of 49 cars, 13 laps behind the winning sister car.
Nevertheless, Stroll drew an overall satisfied conclusion. “I really enjoyed my debut in the Aston Martin Vantage GT3 and, despite limited preparation, I felt comfortable in the car and the pace was very encouraging,” said the Formula 1 driver.
“I was among the fastest during my stint and with each lap I became more familiar with the car and was able to improve my lap times. Of course, the race was basically over by the time I started my stint, due to several problems beforehand.”
What the Canadian means by that: A series of penalties, including a stop-and-go penalty after a collision with the AF Corse Ferrari 50, had already thrown the Aston Martin, which had started in the Pro class, out of the fight for front positions early on before Stroll climbed into the cockpit in the final two hours of the race.
Lance Stroll completes a strong GT3 debut
“But it was still great to drive, to be out on the track at night in racing conditions and to gain experience in a highly competitive championship,” said Stroll, not letting the unfortunate result dampen the joy of his GT3 debut.
Despite limited experience in the dark due to a technical problem in practice, the 27-year-old achieved the third-best stint average in this final phase of the race and also drove the eighth-fastest lap of the entire field.
Lance Stroll had “a lot of fun” in the GT3 car
However, his own stint was not flawless either: the Canadian received a penalty for exceeding the track limits. Shortly before the end of the race, he was outside the top 40 before his team instructed him to park the car in the pits early.
However, Stroll has obviously tasted blood. “I had a lot of fun and I’m looking forward to doing more GT races soon,” announced the Formula 1 driver. “We’ll see when the calendar allows, but I’m looking forward to driving the Vantage GT3 again soon.”
Stroll could follow in the footsteps of Max Verstappen: Four-time Formula 1 world champion Max Verstappen has been romping around in a GT3 car for some time now and will even make his debut in the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring this year.
