Stroll to make GT racing debut during F1 break

Aston Martin F1 driver Lance Stroll will make his GT racing debut next month, entering the GT World Challenge Europe opener at Paul Ricard during a gap in the Formula 1 calendar. He will share a Comtoyou Racing Aston Martin Vantage GT3 with former F1 driver Roberto Merhi and F3 race winner Mari Boya.

Why it matters:

This move highlights a growing trend of active F1 drivers seeking competitive track time outside the championship, especially during extended calendar breaks. For Stroll, it represents a return to his sportscar roots and a valuable opportunity to gain experience in a different, highly competitive racing discipline while maintaining his primary focus on Formula 1 with the Aston Martin team.

The details:

• Stroll will contest the opening round of the GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup at Circuit Paul Ricard on April 11-12.
• He joins the Belgian Comtoyou Racing team, which operates as a strategic partner to Aston Martin's official motorsport division.
• His teammates for the event are Roberto Merhi, who made 14 F1 starts for Manor in 2015, and Spanish talent Mari Boya, a current Formula 3 race winner.
• The car is the latest Aston Martin Vantage GT3, a front-running contender in global GT3 competition.
• While Stroll has sportscar experience from the 2016 and 2017 Daytona 24 Hours, those drives were in LMP2 and Daytona Prototype machinery, making this his first race in a production-based GT car.

What's next:

The Paul Ricard event serves as a one-off commitment, with Stroll expected to return fully to his F1 duties with the Aston Martin Aramco team afterward. His performance will be closely watched as an indicator of his adaptability and could set a precedent for other F1 drivers considering similar cross-discipline appearances during the season's sparse breaks. The focus for his 2024 season remains squarely on helping Aston Martin climb the constructors' championship standings.