Lance Stroll silenced her critics

Photo: Ryan Remiorz, The canadian Press
The Quebec Lance Stroll is currently ranked in 12th place in the drivers ‘ championship with a total of 17 points.

Third place Lance Stroll at the Grand Prix of Azerbaijan, Sunday, instilled a healthy dose of confidence for the rest of the season. And of ammunition to hit back at his critics, including Jacques Villeneuve.

At 18 years and 239 days, Stroll has become the youngest rookie in history to climb on the podium of an F1 Grand Prix in Baku. The canadian driver has also implemented the first canadian podium in F1 since Villeneuve at the German Grand Prix of 2001.

“This podium is in the top-3 moments the most important of my career so far, with those in F3 and F4 “, he acknowledged, before adding that he had been drinking, in the boot of the eventual winner Daniel Ricciardo, the best champagne of his life. “It was one of my better days in their career, and that gives me confidence for the future. “

Besides, even if it was only eight racing experience in F1, Stroll did not hesitate to say that it is very comfortable aboard his Williams FW40.

“The results in Canada and Baku have shown. This will not be like that every weekend, but I don’t think it will take a year or two [to mature as a driver]. I take it one race at a time. “

A few arrows

The gladness and the effects of the champagne were now dispelled, Stroll, met with members of the media on the occasion of a telephone conference call of the plant, Williams in Grove, England, on Thursday. And her renewed confidence allowed him to shoot some arrows towards Villeneuve, the former F1 world champion.

“I don’t care what he says, first mentioned Stroll. Jacques is always negative ; he always finds things to say, even with [Sebastian] Vettel and [Lewis] Hamilton. He found it correct, the snap they have had in Baku, even if the whole world believes the opposite. […] I prefer to concentrate on my business. “

“He encouraged me not really already last year, when I won the championship of the F3, and it was the same thing during the first races in F1 this season, so I had a hard time. It was therefore not surprising to hear his comments. But it is like that ; it doesn’t bother me. The most important thing is that I’m happy, and the people that surround me are all the same. “

This state of mind seems to be transposed to the track, where the Quebec is more calm and relaxed lately. But as he repeats it for several weeks already, these good results are attributable, in good part, ” to luck and the fact that the other drivers do [him] are not back in the race.

Austria

By virtue of his ninth place at the Canadian Grand Prix earlier this month and its third position in Baku last weekend, the young man from Mont-Tremblant tip currently on the 12th place driver, with 17 points, two less than his team-mate at Williams, Felipe Massa.

The recent successes by Stroll are encouraging for the british team, which had declared in the beginning of the season wanting to fight for the fourth place in the championship of manufacturers with the team Force India. Williams (37) is currently fifth in the standings.

Stroll is also confident ahead of the next race, the Grand Prix of Austria, which will take place in less than two weeks. He also earned his first career podium in F3 in 2015 Spielberg, in addition to having won two of the three races of the weekend in 2016, setting the table for his eventual conquest of the championship of F3.

“From the first training session, I won’t have to worry about getting to know the track, so that’s good, he admitted. My confidence level is very high. Now, it is to stay positive, continue to work. “