Lance Stroll isn’t a newcomer to the F1 grid. He has been a part of it for eight years but has barely tasted success, with only one-off moments like the 2020 Turkish GP pole position to his name. He hasn’t truly progressed or collected consistent accolades. As such, it’s not surprising that his commitment to the sport often comes into question.
At Aston Martin, Stroll is part of an ambitious project. The Silverstone-based team aims to win the title and has shown progress, with its 2023 car, the AMR23, finishing in the top three eight times, all thanks to Fernando Alonso. Stroll, meanwhile, continues to be the weak link—something Kym Illman attributed to his lack of interest in the sport.
“Lance, he clearly doesn’t love the game and I think a lot of what he goes through is for his father,” the veteran F1 photographer explained on his popular YouTube channel.
Illman was referring to Stroll’s father, Lawrence, who owns Aston Martin and admittedly seems more interested in succeeding in the sport than his son. The hypothesis stems from rumors last year that Stroll Jr. had actually decided to hang up his racing helmet. Instead, the #18 driver was suggested to be interested in carving out a career in tennis for himself.
x Former No.1 @lleytonhewitt took on #F1 driver @lance_stroll for a hit of tennis ahead of the #AusGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/3G7lIvL1q5
— F1 Australian Grand Prix (@ausgrandprix) March 10, 2020
Illman also believes that Stroll Sr. has been living his dreams vicariously through his son. The Canadian billionaire has invested heavily in the teams Stroll has driven for in the past—Williams and Racing Point—and this time around at Aston Martin, he wants the squad to become world champions with his son at its helm.
Stroll Sr. has invested over $200 million in a wind tunnel, negotiated a lucrative works engine deal with Honda from 2026 onwards, and cajoled Adrian Newey to join his team from Red Bull.
But while he expects his son to play a pivotal role in Aston Martin’s rise, the results on track don’t inspire much confidence. While his teammate, Alonso, racked up a P9 finish in the driver’s standings, Stroll could only manage P13 in the same car.
Rumors are now also swirling that Aston Martin is gunning for a sensational Red Bull coup, with a reported $1 billion offer made for Max Verstappen’s services. Though the team has categorically denied these claims, if true, it would be unwise to assume that Stroll Sr. is looking for a replacement for his own son.
Rather, any drivers Aston Martin scouts are most likely being considered to fill the gap Alonso will leave when the 43-year-old decides to call it quits on his illustrious F1 career.
