Lance Stroll is preparing to make his GT World Challenge powered by AWS debut this weekend at Circuit Paul Ricard. The Canadian will take the wheel of an Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT3 EVO – run by ace Belgian team Comtoyou Racing – alongside Roberto Merhi and Mari Boya.
Speaking ahead of the event, Stroll explained that the plan to contest the six-hour race was hatched during the previous Formula 1 weekend in Japan – and that the team acted quickly to make it a reality.
“The decision came when we were in Suzuka. On Saturday evening, we had dinner with some friends, and we were talking about what we could do during this break – about a month – because some races were cancelled.”
"Jean-Michel [Baert, Comtoyou team owner] was very accommodating, and we organised everything in about a week. Honestly, without Jean-Michel bringing everything together so quickly, it wouldn’t have been possible."
Stroll says his primary objective for the weekend is to have fun, but he's also motivated by the chance to fight for a strong result.
“I get to share the car with friends, so we laugh outside the car, enjoy ourselves inside the car, and the team is really great.
“In Formula 1, you don’t always have the opportunity to win. Here, it’s very competitive, but even if it’s our first time and we lack experience, if everything comes together – good setup, good feeling – winning is possible.
"That doesn’t really exist in Formula 1. That’s also a big motivation for me to be here."
Stroll has plenty of new experiences ahead of him this weekend as he adapts to a fresh challenge. He got his first taste of the Vantage last week at the Nürburgring, prior to which he had not driven a GT car in 10 years.
“It’s different – less downforce, less power – but it moves more," he explained. "You can attack kerbs more, which is different. And in traffic, you can follow cars much more closely than in Formula 1.
"If I feel good physically and mentally, I’d like to do more races during the year.
"For me, whenever I’m in the car with my helmet on, whether it’s here, Formula 1, or even karting, it’s always the same mindset. But here, it’s nice: fewer media duties, more time in the garage working with the team and just driving and enjoying it."
Stroll's teammates for the weekend are also new to the series. However, like the Canadian, both have competed at a very high level.
"First, Roberto Merhi – I’ve known him for a long time. We didn’t race together, but we had the same engineers and connections," said Stroll. "We recently spent time together in Japan, had dinner, and came up with this idea. Then there’s Mari Boya, an Aston Martin Academy driver. He’s very talented, not very experienced, but this is a great opportunity for him."
While Stroll is racing this weekend, Max Verstappen will also have a significant interest in what unfolds at Circuit Paul Ricard via his Mercedes-AMG Team Verstappen Racing squad.
"[I spoke with Max] briefly in Suzuka when I had the idea," said Stroll. "We talked about who to contact, and since he’s already involved in GT racing, we discussed it a bit. Everyone enjoys driving GT3 cars – they’re fun."
Comtoyou Racing team owner Jean-Michel Baert, who brough the programme together at short notice, added his perspective.
"Having someone like him choose our team is a huge recognition of our work — the mechanics, the engineers. We’re very proud and grateful for the trust," said Baert.
"When Lance arrived, the first thing he said – before even saying hello – was: 'Thank you for making this possible.' That really meant a lot. It’s a challenge for everyone, but that gratitude will stay with me. I’ll pass that on to the team, because they made it happen.”
The season-opening event begins on Friday with free practices sessions at 14:25 and 19:25. Qualifying and the six-hour race will both run on Saturday and can be watched live on the GT World YouTube channel. Click here for more information.