Lance Stroll to Face Verstappen's Team in GT3 Race at Paul Ricard
Aston Martin F1 driver Lance Stroll is competing in the GT World Challenge Europe this weekend, driving a GT3 car for Comtoyou Racing. In a notable twist, he will face a team entered by Max Verstappen, adding a direct F1 rivalry to the endurance race at Circuit Paul Ricard during Formula 1's off-weekend.
Aston Martin F1 driver Lance Stroll is swapping his single-seater for a GT3 car this weekend, competing in the GT World Challenge Europe at Circuit Paul Ricard. He will go head-to-head with a team fielded by reigning F1 world champion Max Verstappen, adding a notable F1 subplot to the endurance racing event.
Why it matters:
While the F1 calendar has a rare off-weekend, the crossover of top-tier F1 personnel into GT racing highlights the sport's interconnected world and drivers' passion for competition beyond Formula 1. It offers fans a unique chance to see current F1 talent in a different racing discipline and showcases the growing involvement of F1 figures like Verstappen in team ownership within other series.
The details:
- Stroll is driving for the Comtoyou Racing team alongside Formula 2 driver Mari Boya and former F1 driver Roberto Merhi in an Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT3 EVO.
- His participation was made possible due to the cancellation of the originally scheduled Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix, creating a gap in his F1 commitments.
- Directly opposing him will be the Verstappen.com Racing team, run by Max Verstappen. Their car will be piloted by Daniel Juncadella, Jules Gounon, and Chris Lulham.
- The entry list also features Arthur Leclerc, brother of Ferrari F1 star Charles Leclerc, who is driving a Ferrari 296 GT3 for the AF Corse team.
- Stroll revealed he briefly consulted with Verstappen about the opportunity when the idea formed, discussing contacts within the GT racing world.
What's next:
The race provides Stroll with valuable seat time and a different racing challenge during the F1 break. For Verstappen, while his team competes in France, he himself will return to racing action next weekend at the Nürburgring Nordschleife, participating in the ADAC 24h Nurburgring Qualifiers. This weekend's event underscores the ongoing blend of F1 and GT racing, a trend likely to continue as drivers seek competitive outlets beyond their primary championship.