Williams are rumoured to be holding back announcing Lance Stroll as Valtteri Bottas’ team-mate for the 2017 Formula 1 season until the Canadian turns eighteen.
With the Grove-based team being sponsored by alcohol firm Martini, Williams do not want any problems to arise between the two parties due to his age, and as such are waiting until at least 29 October – Stroll’s eighteenth birthday and qualifying day for the Mexican Grand Prix – to announce the 2016 FIA European Formula 3 Champion as the retiring Felipe Massa’s replacement.
Williams have so far been quiet with regards to their 2017 plans, and have yet to confirm either driver, and although Bottas is set to remain for a fifth consecutive season, the Finn has been linked to the vacant second seat within the Renault Sport F1 team alongside the recently confirmed Nico Hülkenberg.
Stroll on the other hand has had a mega season, with fourteen victories in a dominant European Formula 3 season with Prema Powerteam, including the final five races as he walked away with the title, but has pulled out of the Macau Grand Prix at the end of November due to other commitments.
