Lance Stroll says he looking at positives from his F1 career as he focuses on improving his qualifying against Racing Point teammate Sergio Perez.
Since his debut in F1 in 2017, Stroll has had a career of diverse emotions, with high points such as a podium in Azerbaijan and finishing close to Felipe Massa in the standings, but had low points such as an unsuccessful 2018 season with Williams.
He has faced much criticism for it but the Canadian driver, however, is positive about his F1 career thus far, as he pointed out that dwelling on negatives would be of no use to him. With the jump to Racing Point, he scored points but was only 15th.
“I think you got to look at the positives,” he said, when asked by FormulaRapida.net. “I mean, there’s been some some great highlights, that I can remember and I hold on to that. There’s been some challenging seasons like last year.
“But I’m still very young and I think that that’s history now, I have to look at what’s ahead and I see a lot of potential in this team and I see a very exciting season next year. So my sights are set on that, and I’m not yet dwelling on the past.
“There’s no reason to, its history and it’s all about what’s what’s coming next.” Talking about his performances in the 2019 F1 season though, Stroll was quite open to admit that qualifying just didn’t click for him for various reasons.
“I gotta just keep working on a few things, I mean, Saturday’s been my biggest weakness this year,” said Stroll. “It was just a few mistakes in qualifying and stuff has just put me on the back foot for Sunday’s, and going into next year that’s an area that I want to work on.”
When pressed on, Stroll elaborated on his qualifying missed, which he is betting will become better with experience, as the main focal points of this are car set up, and balance. “I think, it’s experience and it’s also applying yourself in the right way,” he said.
“It’s work ethic, understanding where the weaknesses and what kind of corners, how to balance the car, set up the car in order to maximize your driving style. I think that does come with experience, I’ve been in the team for only one year.
“I feel like a lot of the time of when I walk away from the weekend, when I reflect on Saturdays there are things I would have done different, could have done different in order to do it better. And I think that’s what makes it very exciting coming back in 2020.”
This was something he noted with his teammate Sergio Perez’s performance too. When asked by FormulaRapida.net, to point out where he has to get better to the Mexican, Stroll pinned it to qualifying itself, which he has to get better in 2020.
“I think, generally he’s had the upper hand in qualifying,” said Stroll. “So that’s going to be an area that I’m going to work on next year. He’s beat me most of the time this year. So that’s something I’ve got to work on. He’s been with the team a long time.
“I have a different driving style, different approach, which all drivers have in order to maximize my driving style, my approach, there’s some things that I think we have to keep working on and come back next year and do better.
“So that’s really what I’m looking forward to.” Staying with Perez, when FormulaRapida.net asked to compare his former teammates, with the likes of Massa and Sergery Sirotkin, Stroll was hesitant but credited him as a very strong competitor.
“It’s quite hard to compare this,” said Stroll. “I think Sergio all around is really, really solid. He’s got a very good approach. I think he’s mentally very strong. And he’s a competitive driver all around, both on Saturday and Sunday.
He has demonstrated that for a long time and he’s been one of the better drivers in the midfield. So yeah, it’s I think it’s great to work alongside him and I’m looking forward to next season with a year of experience under my belt in this team.”
Here’s Lance Stroll laying difference between Williams and Racing Point
Here’s what Otmar Szafnauer said regarding having Nico Hulkenberg as sim driver
Here’s Sergio Perez on how F1 2019 underwent, aims for F1 2020
The article was written by Duncan Leahy and edited by Darshan Chokhani