08/02/2016
NEWS STORY
Lance Stroll has defended his decision to leave the Ferrari Driver Academy for Williams.
For some time there has been doubt as to the true value of Ferrari's young driver programme, the Ferrari Driver Academy (FDA).
Canadian youngster Lance Stroll's decision to leave the FDA, which he joined in 2010, in order to join Williams Young Driver Development Programme appears to support this.
"Williams has a great history of believing in young drivers," he told Motorsport.com, explaining his decision. "They've given many rookie drivers a chance in Formula 1. That was important, because Ferrari has a different approach; they tend to take more veteran drivers to fight for the championship.
"Williams was more what we were looking for, at least in the near future, and they were very welcoming," he revealed. "We were speaking to them as early as July, and we had the feeling that we were at home with Williams. We had that also with Ferrari, but Williams offered me a good position as a development driver with time in the simulator. Hopefully I'll get a couple of days in an older Formula 1 car this year as well, which is very exciting.
"Ferrari is a great team, probably the greatest in all of motorsport," he aded. "So it wasn't easy to leave, but I have a really exciting opportunity at Williams, which is more of a pure race team, a family, with their own great history.
"I was in the Ferrari junior programme, which was more basic – a training programme," he continued, further justifying the move, "a lot of gym work and mental work. Williams does that as well, but at the same time I get a lot more time to be closer to the F1 team: more simulator time, more involved at the Grands Prix themselves with the engineers.
"I feel like we can be closer right now with Williams, and I'm working with them rather than just being part of a training camp like at Ferrari. For the future, it's the right move.
Asked if the plan is to emulate Valtteri Bottas, the Canadian is in no doubt.
"Definitely, that's our goal at Williams and their goal with me. That's why they approached me, we're both hoping I can fulfil that one day.
"And it's not only Valtteri, who's doing a great job today, in the past Nico Rosberg came through via Williams, Jenson Button as well, many great names who have achieved great success in F1."
Asked if the fact that both Bottas and Felipe Massa are out of contract next year might provide an opportunity, he replies: "It depends how this year goes. It would be great to race in Formula 1, I'm not going to lie, it's what every young driver wants and if the opportunity comes, that would be fantastic.
"But my focus isn't on 2017 right now. I'm focussed on F3 and trying to win the championship, and doing my job as well as possible. I had a good rookie season, but now it's time to put that experience to use and fight for the championship. Then we'll see what happens the year after.
"We have a good plan, in terms of working with Williams and in F3," he concludes. "Williams wants me to do well in F3, they know it's what I have to do in order to reach the next level. They'll help me achieve that off the track in every little way they can, so I can move on to bigger and better things."