Stroll sets sights on top-five finish in 2021 F1 drivers’ championship

Lance Stroll wants to achieve a top-five finish in the drivers’ championship during the 2021 F1 season.
Stroll sets sights on top-five finish in 2021 F1 drivers’ championship

Lance Stroll says he is targeting a top-five finish in the drivers’ championship during the 2021 Formula 1 season.

Stroll enjoyed a career-best F1 campaign last year as he finished 11th in the standings, scoring a maiden pole position and two podiums in what was his fourth season in the sport with Racing Point, which completed its winter rebrand to Aston Martin.

Billionaire team owner Lawrence Stroll believes his son demonstrated in 2020 that he has the potential to become a world champion one day, and the 22-year-old Canadian shares his father’s confidence.

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“You’ve gotta believe it, I wouldn’t be here otherwise,” Stroll said at the launch of Aston Martin’s AMR21 F1 car on Wednesday. “I just turned 22, so I have some time ahead of me.

"It comes down to a lot of things, learning from mistakes to gain experience, proving as a driver to be in the right car, all those things are critical. But for this year, finishing third in the constructors’ championship would be great for the team.

“From my side, pushing to finish top five in the championship, that would be a great achievement. We sat fourth for a time last year, it goes to show that the potential is there if we just execute and focus on the job.” 

Stroll sat as high as fourth in the championship at one stage last season, but slipped down the order as the year progressed amid a run of bad luck, some big crashes, and missing a race due to contracting COVID-19.

Asked how he believes he can unlock greater consistency this year, Stroll replied: “Just keep learning and addressing the things that I think I can improve on, and just execute.

“Those are the areas in my mind, with my craft and the car setup, that I can tie them together and do a better job to get more out of myself. Looking back to last season, there was a lot of potential and good things, and others to work on.

“We had a chance to win the race in Turkey, but that floor contact and damage threw our race in the trash. You have to accept the way some races unfold.

“But if I’m to focus on one thing, it’s to keep pushing myself further, learn as much as I can and improve on some of my weaknesses, which is changing from one race to the next.

“Maybe Seb can bring something to the team, the way he drives the car, or sets it up, is something that I’ll learn from. It’s all focus points.”

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