BOSS & SHARP
In the world of Formula 1, life tends to move at breakneck speeds. Of course, on the track, that goes without saying. The elite few who earn a spot on the circuit are well-attuned to competing up to 375 km/hr. But off the track, the pace isn’t much different. As the sport continues to grow — fuelled by the popularity of Netflix’s Drive to Survive docuseries — drivers like Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll are racing more than ever before. A decade ago, drivers were tasked with 19 high-stakes Grand Prix competitions a year. Today, the number has grown staggeringly to 24. Uninterrupted global travel has become a non-negotiable element of the job. Yet for Stroll, a lone weekend in mid-June allows for an annual homecoming.
“The sport is booming. It’s growing faster than I think anyone could have predicted 10 years ago. It’s amazing to be a part of. At the same time, as an athlete, there’s so much outside noise. You’re balancing constant travel. It’s all-consuming,” explains Stroll. At the time of our interview, the 25-year-old is two nights away from the Canadian Grand Prix, which takes place at Montreal’s Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, a mere 20 minutes from where Stroll grew up. “Being back in Montreal is such a reset for me. Being surrounded by friends and family, it’s why I look forward to this race more than any other on the calendar. It’s home.”
Minutes before, Stroll stood on stage at Le 9e in downtown Montreal, addressing hundreds of Canadians on hand for his homecoming party, hosted by BOSS, directly following a public meet-and-greet in the city’s Eaton Centre. The room was raucous in anticipation of Stroll’s return to the city’s historic track. After all, the Canadian has historically performed well at home. But despite the fanfare, Stroll’s focus didn’t waver.
“Thank you all for coming. Enjoy your tequila, have a great night, and I hope to see you all on Sunday,” he says. “Someday, I’ll be retired and staying up late to party with you. But I plan on delaying that day as long as possible.”
After the crowd’s applause, Stroll stops to take pictures with a long queue of fans before slipping behind a curtain to a private room for our interview. It’s one of the few quiet moments he’ll have before race day. Still, he wastes no time, grabbing a bottle of water and smiling wide as he sits down. “Are we ready to go?” he asks. After debuting in Formula 1 in 2017 as the second-youngest driver to start a race, this pace of life has become second nature to him.
“I’ve gotten used to the pressure, the criticism, the risk, all of that. It’s just part of the job now,” he explains. Moulded in the high-pressure incubator of professional racing, it’s staggering to believe that, not long ago, he was on the other side of the track, watching with his father from the sidelines.
“They’re some of my favourite memories to look back on,” he recalls. “I would sit in corner one with my dad. It was something we shared since I was three years old. It’s amazing to think that now I’m a part of it, that I’m teammates with [Fernando Alonso], who I grew up watching. When I get out there and race in front of the home fans in Montreal, it’s a dream come true, for sure. It never gets old.”
Stroll’s father, Lawrence, began cultivating his son’s dreams of driving from an early age. Aside from taking him to races, he recognized his son’s penchant for the sport and introduced him to karting at five years old.
“We’d set up cones in the parking lot. I had this little blue kart and I’d drive around for hours, pretending it was the [Canadian Grand Prix]. I was always an adrenaline junkie. He recognized that and did everything he could to support it,” he says. “I grew up watching and idolizing drivers but no one ever as much as I admired my father. We fell in love with the sport together. I think when I started driving, he saw racing in a whole new way. […] He’s really my life partner, you know? We’ve been on this entire journey together. This race will be my 152nd in Formula 1 and he’s supported me through every single one.”
In 2020, Lawrence Stroll led a $235.6 million investment in Aston Martin, becoming executive chairman of the company and marking yet another landmark moment of support for his son’s career. Still, despite support from family and hometown fans lining the stands with signs reading variations of “Welcome home, Lance!”, when race day arrives, Stroll claims sole responsibility.
“There are a lot of good drivers on the grid. But I’m in my lane driving my own race. I think you can only go so far trying to be someone else.”
Lance Stroll
“When I get behind the wheel of that thing, I’m my own boss. No one’s out there telling me what to do,” he says. Formula 1 is a sport rife with comparison and unyielding global criticism. But, over the years, Stroll has learned not to internalize outside noise. “I respect the guys that have the speed on track. You know, if you look at Max [Verstappen] today, he’s killing it. […] And [Michael] Schumacher in his time and [Ayrton] Senna in his time. I have a lot of respect for all of them. But I’m having my own career. I don’t want to emulate anyone. When I’m in the car, I don’t really give a shit about anyone else.”
Reuniting with childhood friends, spending time with family, and returning to the restaurants he grew up frequenting only underscores this commitment. Less than 48 hours away from celebrating his 152nd Formula 1 race on his home track, Stroll only has two wishes.
“I want to perform to the best of my abilities,” he begins. “And I want to do it my way. There are a lot of good drivers on the grid. But I’m in my lane driving my own race. I think you can only go so far trying to be someone else. Especially coming home to a place where everyone knows me. Even years from now, when I’m done driving and coming back with BOSS or Aston Martin or just for the city itself, I’d never want to come home as anyone but myself.”
The post Meet Formula 1’s Lance Stroll, Beyond the Homestretch appeared first on Sharp Magazine.
