The Williams F1 Team has just signed up 17-year-old Canadian Lance Stroll as a development driver.
While Stroll may not be a household name, he has been climbing up motorsport’s ranks in recent years after being signed by Ferrari to their young driver development program at just 11 years old. Since that signing, he’s gone on to win the 2014 Italian Formula 4 Championship as well as this year’s Toyota Racing Series in New Zealand all while racing in the FIA European Formula 3 Championship.
Stroll’s role in the Williams Formula One team will be similar to that of current driver Valterri Bottas when he joined Williams back in 2011. As a result, Stroll will be trained in race engineering and marketing, enjoy extensive time in the team’s advanced driving simulator and experience work placements in a number of departments throughout Williams’ factory. Stroll will do all of this while competing in the 2016 FIA Formula 3 European Championship.
Deputy team principal of Williams F1 Claire Williams said “We have identified Lance as a promising talent for the future and we are happy to provide our support to his development as a driver. We look forward to working with Lance in 2016 and to the success he can achieve in the future.”
Beyond his racing experience, Stroll is no stranger to the glitz and glamour enjoyed by current F1 drivers. His dad is a billionaire fashionista who owns both a Ferrari 250 GTO and a Ferrari 275 GTB/4 NART Spider purchased for $27.5 million in 2013.
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