Why Lance Stroll Deserves a Seat at Racing Point F1 in 2021

Ever since rumors of Sebastian Vettel joining Aston Martin in 2021 surfaced, fans have been vocal of which driver they’d like to on the chopping block. Unsurprisingly, it is Lance Stroll who has been at the receiving end of the fans’ fury.

While Stroll leaving the team is unlikely, he actually deserves to stay at Racing Point next year. Yes, a team with Vettel and Perez would be nothing short of a sensational lineup, but fans need to give Stroll a chance.

How Lance Stroll proved himself

For many seasons, Stroll’s brushed off his sub-par performances, citing the lack of a competitive car. This year, the Canadian finally got a chance to show what he can truly do with a strong package.

Fortunately for him, he’s yet to put a foot wrong in 2020.

Ultimately, the results speak for themselves. Sergio Perez absolutely dominated his less experienced colleague to establish his supremacy within Racing Point last year. However, that hasn’t been the case in 2020.

Apart from a season-opening DNF, which was out of his hands, Stroll’s qualifying and race pace is nothing short of flawless. Admittedly, Perez missed a couple of races, but the Canadian still delivered with the spotlight on him.

Lance Stroll stepped up to the plate and led Racing Point at a time when they were missing their star driver. More importantly, the team was in the midst of a crisis with the FIA hearing, a battle that Racing Point ultimately lost.

Protests aside, Stroll’s taken all the negativity directed towards him in stride. He’s no stranger to the occasional ‘pay driver’ and ‘daddy’s money’ jibe, but dealing with the intense social and media scrutiny is no easy task.

Yet he delivered. At last week’s Spanish Grand Prix, Stroll finished at a phenomenal fourth place to catapult Racing Point to P3 in the Constructors’ Championship standings.

What really stood out was his fearless racecraft at the start of the Grand Prix. The Canadian didn’t back down from a wheel to wheel battle against Bottas and eventually emerged victorious.

Stroll has successfully steered through tricky conditions, chaotic races, and off-track distractions to establish himself in the F1 paddock. The Canadian’s done all his talking on the track and has every right to stay behind the wheel at Aston Martin in 2021.