Stroll stays upbeat after penalty‑marred GTWC debut at Paul Ricard

Lance Stroll made his GT World Challenge debut on the night‑time circuit at Paul Ricard in an Aston Martin Vantage GT3. He qualified 15th overall and felt the car was quick, but a cascade of penalties handed to his teammates left the squad classified 48th, 12 laps down. Despite the result, Stroll said he had fun and would like to race GT cars again.

Why it matters:

Stroll’s off‑season GT outing shows how F1 drivers can stay sharp and broaden their skill set when the championship pauses. It also puts the Aston Martin Vantage GT3 in the spotlight, giving the marque exposure in a competitive series.

The details:

• Qualified 15th, fastest of the three Aston Martin entries.
• Improved lap times each stint, calling the pace “very encouraging.”
• Team accrued 465 seconds of penalties:
  • Merhi: five 30‑second blue‑flag penalties, a track‑limit penalty and an extra pit‑stop sanction.
  • Boya: stop‑and‑go for a collision.
• Penalties dropped the car to 48th, 12 laps behind the sister Aston Martin of Drudi, Sørensen and Thiim.
• Stroll’s stint started late, after the race was effectively decided, limiting his impact.

What's next:

Stroll said he'll look for another GT chance when the F1 schedule permits. The next GT World Challenge round at Spa‑Francorchamps is in May, and Aston Martin may field more cars. A return would give him extra seat time in a rear‑engine, GT‑spec car, sharpening his skills for F1.