Lance Stroll says he consulted Max Verstappen earlier than committing to creating his GT racing debut throughout this 12 months’s sudden Formula 1 calendar hole.
Stroll will race on this weekend’s GT World Challenge Europe season opener at Paul Ricard for Aston Martin squad Comtoyou Racing, sharing an Aston Martin Vantage GT3 with someday F1 driver Roberto Merhi and Aston Martin F1 academy driver Mari Boya.
That race – a part of the collection’ Endurance Cup championship – that will have clashed with F1’s Bahrain Grand Prix however for its cancellation (together with the Saudi Arabian GP) as a result of army battle that has taken place within the Middle East.
Asked about his determination to contest the race, Stroll stated that plan had been shaped on the Japanese GP – F1’s most up-to-date race, at Suzuka – whereas at dinner with Merhi and others, when “we were talking about what we could do during this break period – about a month – because some races were cancelled”.
“We had the idea to do a GT race together,” stated Stroll. “That’s really where it all started, in Japan.”
Stroll stated his contact with Verstappen was ‘transient’ and happened at Suzuka, and centred on who greatest to strategy to make a possibility occur.
Four-time F1 champion Verstappen has previously 12 months explored GT racing himself and is because of make his Nurburgring 24 Hours debut subsequent month.
“We talked about who to contact, and since he’s already involved in GT racing, we discussed it a bit,” added Stroll, who has earlier sportscar racing expertise from two Daytona 24 Hours prototype begins.
The Aston Martin F1 driver additionally thanked Comtoyou proprietor and workforce principal Jean-Michel Baert for “bringing everything together so quickly”, including: “It wouldn’t have been possible [without Baert].
“We actually organised this in just some days whereas we have been in Japan.”
The Vantage that Stroll, Merhi and Boya will race is one of four that Comtoyou will field in what is a 59-car entry at Paul Ricard.
He said his primary goal for the weekend was “enjoyment – and it is also a race” but added that he felt victory was not out of the question for his car, which is entered in the headline, 18-car Pro division.
“In Formula 1, you do not at all times have the chance to win,” he said. “Here, it is very aggressive, however even when it is our first time and we lack expertise, if every little thing comes collectively – good set-up, good feeling – profitable is feasible.
“That doesn’t really exist in Formula 1.
“That’s additionally a giant motivation for me to be right here.”
