Stroll: I was blind going into rookie F1 year
Lance Stroll has admitted he felt blind heading into his rookie Formula 1 campaign with Williams last year but with 12 months of experience he is confident having set objectives for 2018.
Stroll was the sole out-and-out F1 rookie in the 2017 season, with Stoffel Vandoorne having made his McLaren debut as Fernando Alonso’s injury replacement at the 2016 Bahrain Grand Prix, and endured a tricky start to his first season in the sport retiring from the opening three races.
Lance Stroll has admitted he felt blind heading into his rookie Formula 1 campaign with Williams last year but with 12 months of experience he is confident having set objectives for 2018.
Stroll was the sole out-and-out F1 rookie in the 2017 season, with Stoffel Vandoorne having made his McLaren debut as Fernando Alonso’s injury replacement at the 2016 Bahrain Grand Prix, and endured a tricky start to his first season in the sport retiring from the opening three races.
A much-needed confidence boost came from a maiden points finish during his home race weekend in Canada which was quickly followed by his first F1 rostrum – becoming the youngest driver to reach the podium in the sport’s history – which ignited a stronger second half to his year.
Returning with Williams for 2018, Stroll is now the experienced hand at the British squad alongside rookie teammate Sergey Sirotkin, with the pair supported by Robert Kubica as third and test driver, and the Canadian driver says he feels much more settled and certain approaching the new F1 campaign.
“Having that year under my belt [helps],” Stroll said. “I have a lot more clarity this year than I did last year coming into winter testing last year. I came in not really expecting anything and not really knowing what the car would be like, how it would handle, what everything would be like. I was kind of blind going into it last year.
“This year I know my objectives, I set some goals for myself. I know what we want to and have to accomplish in order to put us in the best position going into Melbourne. Just experience and clarity.”
Despite being the more experienced race driver in the Williams fold in just his second F1 season, Stroll doubts his role within the team will alter next to Sirotkin compared to coming in as a rookie alongside Felipe Massa in 2017.
“My job remains the same, regardless of who is on the other side of the garage,” he said. “I have a group of people I work with and we want to get the most out of our package. That’s the objective for this year just like it was for last year.”
