Has Lawrence Stroll just solved his F1 team’s driver problem

[Spevs]

Post from PlanetF1

The arrival of Aston Martin’s Valkyrie into the World Endurance Championship may give Lawrence Stroll the chance to shuffle his son out of the F1 team…

On Wednesday, Aston Martin confirmed that they will enter the World Endurance Championship and the IMSA championship with ‘at least one’ prototype Valkyrie as the British manufacturer enters the Hypercar class of the highest level of sportscar racing.

Aside from being a continuation of the aggressive approach to motorsport and marketing that Lawrence Stroll has embarked upon since buying into Aston Martin Lagonda, the move may also give the businessman an easy way to save face when it comes to his son, Lance.

Does this give a glimmer of hope for Liam Lawson in 2024, and can Aston steal him from RB.............?

Edited by Spevs on Thursday 5th October 14:42

[StevieBee]

If they haven't done so already, Red Bull will be welding Lawson to a long term contract that would require eye-watering sums to break apart which, if I was Lawson, I wouldn't want to be doing so anytime soon.

There's little to suggest Lance would suddenly find world-beating form in WEC and Aston stand a better chance of winning races and championships in that than they do currently if F1. There's a very long list of proven, highly capable drivers suited to Endurance Racing that could help them with this and Lance isn't on that list.

[FourWheelDrift]

I thought he'd bought him a tennis racket.

[Spevs]

I was just thinking Lance's performance has obviously peaked out in F1 (especially after Singapore), this project gives a convenient less high profile, less high pressure environment for him to carry on driving into the future, Aston could do with a seriously quick hot shoe like Lawson to follow on from Alonso going forward. At present Red Bull have offered Lawson very little (bit similar to Alpine & Oscar). Suppose we'll have to wait and see.

[HTP99]

I think Lance has lost interest, it was all about his dad anyway, when he leaves F1 I doubt we will see him driving again.

[Muzzer79]

Much as everyone paints Lance as this entitled and spoiled rich boy, I think he's nothing if not resilient.

You don't get all the way to F1 without determination, no matter how much money is behind you.

I think it's therefore unlikely that he just wants to jack it in, certainly for 2024.

He may be realising that Alonso is leagues ahead of him, but he will want to bounce back I think (hope)

What I can see is an exit for him in 2026 when Honda come on board. They'll want Tsunoda in the seat and and there'll be a requirement for a top line driver alongside him.

As for Lawson, I think Red Bull are going to tie him up asap (if they don't more likely already have that in place) so they can cover one of the Perez/Ricciardo/Tsunoda seats for 2025.

[Spevs]

I wasn't meaning to dis Lance in anyway, I agree any driver who is successful in the lower F2/F3 formula's is a bloody good racing driver, I just get the feeling that since Alonso has arrived the reality of his talent has been exposed and the Singapore crash was an illustration of him trying too hard to keep up with his team mate. Aston would do well in picking up Lawson.

[Castellet]

Spevs said:

I wasn't meaning to dis Lance in anyway, I agree any driver who is successful in the lower F2/F3 formula's is a bloody good racing driver, I just get the feeling that since Alonso has arrived the reality of his talent has been exposed and the Singapore crash was an illustration of him trying too hard to keep up with his team mate. Aston would do well in picking up Lawson.

Wasn’t Lance Stroll’s F3/F2 progressions carefully ‘managed’ ?

[Brainpox]

Great related gossip story (translation in comments): https://old.reddit.com/r/formula1/comments/170ge1j...

Essentially, Daddy Stroll possibly looking to offload to Aramco for $800m because Mummy Stroll thinks F1 is too dangerous and it's clear after 7 years that Lance will never amount to anything. Maybe WEC is a safer option?

Villenueve stirring the pot saying Lance had a karting track bought/built for him as a kid and although it was just down the road, he would arrive by helicopter

For sure AM has been held back this year having Stroll in the car and won't make inroads in the Constructors relying on Alonso for all of their points. Daddy has invested a lot in the team but I guess business is business and as long as he makes a profit he won't really care about that.

Lance hasn't really progressed since being a rookie, but why would he, he's always had a guaranteed seat, there's just no incentive there to get better.

Edited by Brainpox on Thursday 5th October 22:25

Edited by Brainpox on Thursday 5th October 22:26

[Spevs]

It also crossed my mind when he crashed in Singapore that Mummy Stroll wouldn't be very happy and it might make the family reconsider where he should be racing.

[RB Will]

Castellet said:

Wasn’t Lance Stroll’s F3/F2 progressions carefully ‘managed’ ?

All the other drivers were paid off to lose and give up their shot at a career in F1?

[MustangGT]

RB Will said:

Castellet said:

Wasn’t Lance Stroll’s F3/F2 progressions carefully ‘managed’ ?

All the other drivers were paid off to lose and give up their shot at a career in F1?

No, what I heard was the cost of running almost all the other teams added together was the budget for the Stroll team.

[blackmme]

MustangGT said:

No, what I heard was the cost of running almost all the other teams added together was the budget for the Stroll team.

I understand that they had some pretty direct support from Williams including (where possible within the rules) bespoke/custom component's.

[rdjohn]

Perhaps he sells off a semi-successful F1 team in 2026 and its called something Honda, so he then needs a vehicle to promote Lance to try and help the A-M brand recover to something with a positive valuation.

There is nothing like trying to flog dead horses.

[Deesee]

McLaren and United Autosports (Zak) have just announced their entry to WEC too.

[FourWheelDrift]

I wonder if Vettel has been around to see if he can buy the team. He did say never say never for a return during his Brundle interview some thinking he meant as a driver but maybe he meant as a team owner.

[Muzzer79]

Brainpox said:

Essentially, Daddy Stroll possibly looking to offload to Aramco for $800m because Mummy Stroll thinks F1 is too dangerous and it's clear after 7 years that Lance will never amount to anything. Maybe WEC is a safer option?

I’m not sure about the dangerous angle.

But selling an F1 team for $800m that you bought for $117m just seems like good business and a very Lawrence Stroll thing to do if they’ve had their fun.

Could be Honda that buys it…..

[520TORQUES]

Spevs said:

It also crossed my mind when he crashed in Singapore that Mummy Stroll wouldn't be very happy and it might make the family reconsider where he should be racing.

Why would Lawrence care what mummy stroll thinks? They got divorced in 2019 and he is now on another wife as of 2020.

[FourWheelDrift]

See ya Lance.

[Spevs]

520TORQUES said:

Spevs said:

It also crossed my mind when he crashed in Singapore that Mummy Stroll wouldn't be very happy and it might make the family reconsider where he should be racing.

Why would Lawrence care what mummy stroll thinks? They got divorced in 2019 and he is now on another wife as of 2020.

Mummy Stroll is his Mother for me..... and that's what I meant.