Claire Williams says Lance Stroll has a contract with Williams Martini Racing until the end of the season but there is no certainty that he will stay with the team right through to the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, which closes out the 2018 season.
Lance’s father Lawrence Stroll recently led a consortium that assumed control of the Sahara Force India F1 Team and renamed and relaunched them as the Racing Point Force India F1 Team, but this weekend sees the younger Stroll still racing with Williams and the elder one having a presence in the motorhome, although not as much as he previously has had.
Williams, the deputy team principal of the Grove-based team, was speaking during the Team Principal’s press conference at Spa-Francorchamps that the elder Stroll coming in to save Force India was good for the sport, but it could have a dramatic knock on effect for her team in the coming weeks and months.
“First of all, I think this is obviously a great story for Formula 1,” said Williams on Friday. “Prior to the shutdown we were all slightly concerned as to Force India’s fate, and I think Lawrence stepping in and securing the team’s future is a great thing, not just for our sport but obviously for the employees, so at Williams we are delighted.
“I think probably the biggest knock-on effect for us will be the lack of Lawrence’s presence in our motorhome. I know that he has spent a bit of time in the Force India motorhome this weekend already. But for us at the moment, it’s business as usual.
“Lance still has a contract to drive for us until the end of the season, he’s racing for us here in Spa and Lawrence is still in our motorhome,” she continued. “I think it might be slightly odd if Lawrence owns one team and his son is another, but hey, this is Formula 1!
“At the moment, as I said, Lance is contracted to drive for us, he’s driving here this weekend and as soon as we have more information, when we know, then we will share that.”
