As the Formula 1 season draws to a close, signing rumours for next season begin to arise. One big announcement came by Williams F1 earlier in the season: Felipe Massa will retire after 15 seasons in Formula 1. This brings the question to Williams fans: who will replace Massa in 2017? While there had not been any confirmed candidates, there was much speculation. Candidates include Williams reserve drivers Alex Lynn and Paul Di Resta. Finally, the long-speculated Lance Stroll Williams ride was confirmed by the team.
Lance Stroll Williams Seat Confirmed as Team Announces 2017 Drivers
Fans remained in the dark until November 3rd, when Williams announced their 2017 driver line-up. The first to be confirmed with the team in 2017 is Valtteri Bottas. The 27 year old Finnish driver is returning for his fifth season with the team. The second driver, 18-year-old Canadian and 2016 European Formula 3 Champion Lance Stroll. Due to his young age, his signing comes as a surprise to some. Currently, Stroll has 15 wins in Formula 3 and 14 of which came in 2016.
“Pay Driver” Accusations
There is some criticism around Stroll’s hiring. Some pundits claim he is a “pay driver”, acquiring a ride based on personal wealth and sponsorship. His father is Lawrence Stroll, a Canadian billionaire, which spurred these accusations. In an interview with Racer.com Stroll admits he came from money but said “I believe I earned my shot in F1 because I won every championship that I’ve competed in in single-seaters.” Stroll, who got his start in the Ferrari Driver Academy at 15, has won championships in Formula 3, the Toyota Racing Series, and the Italian Formula 4 Championship.
Williams Deputy Team Principal Claire Williams says “I know there have been a lot of comments about Lance’s background and I want to make it clear Williams has been a team that has made a statement of intent we would not allow financial considerations to influence our driver choice. That has been the case this year. Money doesn’t drive performance – you either have the talent or you don’t. Lance has proved he has talent and has what done what he has done.”
Canada’s Return to Formula 1
Despite these rumours, the Lance Stroll Williams signing has given hope to a nation. Stroll is Canada’s first Formula 1 driver since 2006 when Jacques Villeneuve left the sport. He has inspired a nation and could attract more Canadian fans to Formula 1 to cheer on their countryman. Stroll, the youngest driver in F1 history, will take on the likes of Lewis Hamilton, Sebastian Vettel, and the only other driver close to his age, fellow teenager Max Verstappen.
