Former Haas F1 Team Principal Guenther Steiner was recently asked about Aston Martin driver Lance Stroll’s performance at the 2024 Singapore GP. In response, Steiner suggested that he didn’t know what to make of it.
Steiner believes that Stroll has been out of the spotlight for quite some time. He expressed uncertainty about whether the Canadian driver is good enough to stay in F1 as his performances—whether good or bad—are rarely discussed anymore.
“Lance passes completely under the radar. It’s weird. You never speak good or bad about him, he’s just non-existent,” Steiner said on The Red Flags podcast. “I don’t think he’s a bad race car driver. I don’t know what it is. He was never young, he will never be old. He will just be there. He’s above the rules.”
Steiner also revealed that during his seven years in the F1 paddock with Haas, he never once interacted with Stroll – a three-time podium sitter. “I don’t know the guy, never spoke with him,” he added.
Stroll made his F1 debut in 2017, finishing in the top three at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix that same year while racing for Williams. At just 18, he was one of the youngest drivers in the sport’s history. Although Stroll has been in F1 for seven seasons, he is still only 25 years old.
When Steiner mentioned that Stroll was “above the rules,” he implied that the driver may have become too comfortable due to his father, Lawrence, owning the team.
Stroll lacks motivation according to Steiner
Stroll’s career has been underlined by suggestions that he is only in the sport because of his father’s financial support. Steiner agrees, insisting that he feels the Canadian racing ace isn’t motivated to fight for his place.
He explained that Stroll doesn’t “need to drive a race car,” given his father owns Aston Martin. More often than not, the #18 driver has seemed quite content to linger in the midfield.
lance stroll never looks like he wants to be wherever he is and i admire him for it pic.twitter.com/5NJyYcevbW
— mari️ (@f1brekkdown) June 9, 2024
“If the car is not good enough to reach the podium or something, he’s just like, ‘Yeah, I just get by. Who cares? I’ll wait until next year’s car comes and see if that is better,’” concluded Steiner.
