Opinion: Lance Stroll Too Slow For Racing Point?

[antirussia81]

He's too slow but rich enough.

 

[DaVeX↯]

...poll is missing "we don't care at all" vote, seriously never looked at him as a real F1 driver...

 

[WallyTP]

MAXIMUM SUCKAGE Unlocked.

 

[Mr Latte]

To be fair, Perez is underrated and the car is likely much more similar to last years car than it is to last years, Williams. I think we need to see how the car develops over the season but I am sure next years car will be designed more to suit Lance driving style or be less compromising than the current one may be.

 

[InsaneOzzie]

Screw Stroll, get Ocon back into that seat and watch him outperform Perez, dropping Ocon for Stroll was a HUGE mistake, Stroll should of gone to F2 and matured more as a driver instead of fast tracking to F1 and mediocrity. His fathers purchase of a team just screwed Lances career because his seat is a gimme as he doesn't have to work hard or fight other drivers to keep it. Daddy will look after him.

 

[Alexandre]

He is just a rich guy in dad's team.

 

[michelforest]

Sadly... I have to say yes. Sadly, because he's from Montreal, like me, and I always support Canadian racers, especially if we're from the same city. Also, the amount of hate spewed at the guy simply for having a rich dad annoyed me. Stroll is not the first rich kid to get a drive, it's been like that since the beginning of motor racing. So, I really wanted him to do well.

But I've always believed that the Strolls' big mistake has been to send him straight to F1 after winning the F3 championship. Drivers like Verstappen who can jump straight to F1 at 17 and be good are an anomaly. Going to Williams and bypassing F2 was pure hubris and it backfired really bad. The reputation he built in F3 is long gone and he will have the "rich kid paying for his drive" sticker on his forehead forever. The fact is, he's not *that* bad a driver, he's simply average.

Sometimes, I wonder what really motivates him. Is his father living his dream through his son? Does Lance have racing in his blood? If he wasn't in F1, would he race in Indycar, or GT, or endurance? I don't think so.

 

[michelforest]

Screw Stroll, get Ocon back into that seat and watch him outperform Perez

Last season, Ocon and Perez were teammates and Ocon did not outperform Perez. They were pretty much even. Ocon was slightly better in qualifying but Perez got more points, including a podium. I liked Ocon, until he made that stupid move on Verstappen at the Brazilian GP and refused to apologize for it. I lost a lot of respect for him that day.

I do agree, however, that Ocon is a much better driver than Stroll.

 

[michelforest]

I wouldn't necessarily say that he's "slow", but I simply don't rate him as an F1 driver. I haven't thought much of him since day one. I don't think he makes the grade for even a mid-pack team and should probably be replaced by someone better and more deserving. There are far more talented youngsters waiting in the wings that would be a better choice than this guy, but I suppose that's unlikely to happen with daddy owning the team. Shame.

You're right: Stroll's reputation takes a hit when you compare him to the highly impressive bunch of young drivers coming in F1: Verstappen (still a kid, let's not forget), Leclerc, Norris, Russell... And some of those F2 drivers are not too shabby either. Stroll looks painfully ordinary in comparison.

 

[michelforest]

It's that Force India or whatever the f*** its called that is too slow!!

It is now, but that's a result of the financial and legal troubles of 2018. Racing Point (what a crap name!) has money and resources and there's a truckload of improvements on the way, to the point where some people say that the car we see now will be almost entirely different by the time we get to the German GP.

 

[Terry Rock]

All we can imagine, is that young Mr. Stroll must be quite frustrated at this point.
He left a less-than-stellar Williams, after looking at the relative performance and repetitive standings of the old FI team and it has all gone a bit 'sideways'.
Is he too slow?... Hard to say at this time...given the lower performances of Checo relative to where he was a year ago.
I thought he should have been given a test and development role along with placement in DTM or another series to enhance his driver craft, prior to race seat promotion.
That would never happen though, with his dad 'bank-rolling' the effort.
You cannot be mad with Stroll though...any father with means, would try to do that for his son.
If the car gets a development boost and Checo's performances improve dramatically, then this question will need to be revisited.

 

[Zeekkai]

I wouldn't necessarily say that he's "slow", but I simply don't rate him as an F1 driver. I haven't thought much of him since day one. I don't think he makes the grade for even a mid-pack team and should probably be replaced by someone better and more deserving. There are far more talented youngsters waiting in the wings that would be a better choice than this guy, but I suppose that's unlikely to happen with daddy owning the team. Shame.

George Russell is getting his out of this world talent wasted in Williams, he has swept everyone in F2 easily.

 

[Nick Hill]

The real story might be what a stiff Sirotkin must be. You would have to be a real slow poke to let Lance beat you.

As far as the poll question goes, I think it's a trick question. His dad is a literal billionaire...however fast Lance is or isn't, it's fast enough to keep him in F1.

 

[michelforest]

[QUOTE="Terry Rock, post: 2977731, member: 8251Is he too slow?... Hard to say at this time...given the lower performances of Checo relative to where he was a year ago.
I thought he should have been given a test and development role along with placement in DTM or another series to enhance his driver craft, prior to race seat promotion.
.[/QUOTE]

Stroll is always outperformed when matched with good, experienced drivers: Massa in 2017 and Perez now. Blame it on lack of experience or lack of pace, but the fact is, he's never outshone a good driver. He was slightly better than Sirotkin, but the fact that Williams dropped him, despite the money he was bringing in, tells me that they were far from impressed with him.

Stroll should have been a third driver/test driver, but in 2017 with Williams. Now, it's too late for that. He's now in his third season, he has to deliver. At the risk of repeating myself: in 2017, he should have raced in F2, along with a third driver role at Williams. Then, maybe, get promoted to a race seat in 2018. Or do another season of F2 and gain more experience.

 

[oorjit07]

He's far too slow in Quali, yes, but in the races he's incredible off the start, and can hold his own. If he can figure out his one lap pace then he'll be a strong midfield driver.

 

[tonydean2]

A lot of interesting and to some extent valid points raised. However, F1 is supposed to be the pinnacle of motor sport where the best drivers duke it out. I'm fortunate (if that's the right word) to be old enough to remember F1 in the years before commercial sponsorship and other outside influences (Eccleston) became involved. The top teams talent scouted and as a consequence they employed the best drivers. Wealthy amateurs could if they had the money purchase an F1 car from the likes of Lotus or Cooper and go and play. The racing at the front was intense and arguably better than today. The big thing though was that it didn't matter how wealthy you or daddy were, if you couldn't perform you didn't get near the works teams. F1 today has too many journeyman drivers going to teams with wads of cash and buying a drive. You can't blame the drivers it's F1 that is at fault as it has pretty much priced itself out of existence by allowing major manufacturers such as Ferrari, Mercedes etc to continue to just throw cash into the pot constantly raising the cost of participation. The governing body should grow a pair and place a sensible cap on the amount teams can spend in a season. Maybe then, maybe, some common sense will prevail and the fastest drivers will get a chance. Until then however unfortunately, we are stuck with it as it is and seats are allocated on the basis of how much finance a driver can bring in to the team and not how good he/she is

 

[tonydean2]

A lot of interesting and to some extent valid points raised. However, F1 is supposed to be the pinnacle of motor sport where the best drivers duke it out. I'm fortunate (if that's the right word) to be old enough to remember F1 in the years before commercial sponsorship and other outside influences (Eccleston) became involved. The top teams talent scouted and as a consequence they employed the best drivers. Wealthy amateurs could if they had the money purchase an F1 car from the likes of Lotus or Cooper and go and play. The racing at the front was intense and arguably better than today. The big thing though was that it didn't matter how wealthy you or daddy were, if you couldn't perform you didn't get near the works teams. F1 today has too many journeyman drivers going to teams with wads of cash and buying a drive. You can't blame the drivers it's F1 that is at fault as it has pretty much priced itself out of existence by allowing major manufacturers such as Ferrari, Mercedes etc to continue to just throw cash into the pot constantly raising the cost of participation. The governing body should grow a pair and place a sensible cap on the amount teams can spend in a season. Maybe then, maybe, some common sense will prevail and the fastest drivers will get a chance. Until then however unfortunately, we are stuck with it as it is and seats are allocated on the basis of how much finance a driver can bring in to the team and not how good he/she is

 

[michelforest]

F1 today has too many journeyman drivers going to teams with wads of cash and buying a drive.

I'd be curious to know which drivers qualify as "journeyman drivers with wads of cash"? As for me, I would say only Stroll and Kubica.

 

[wombat999]

In a word 'Yes'.

 

[Boby Kim]

How can a driver be too slow or too fast for his car? How to decide from the sideline?
Raikonen once raced top 3, now racing top 20. So he is...what?...too slow or too fast?