Aston Martin Formula 1 driver Lance Stroll is set to make his GT3 racing debut this weekend, in the GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup season opener at Circuit Paul Ricard, France.
The Canadian will share the #18 Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT3 Evo with Roberto Merhi and Mari Boya, as he fills a five-week break in the 2026 Formula 1 schedule.
All three drivers are new to the series, but with leading Aston Martin squad Comtoyou Racing, who won the 2024 24 Hours of Spa, running the car, the ingredients are there for them to be a contender during Saturday’s six-hour affair.
It’s a testament to the Comtoyou operation that, with the team having mere days to put the plan in place to bring a fourth car to the South of France, the #18 Vantage features on the 59-car grid in the first place.
“The decision came when we were in Suzuka, in Japan,” Stroll said.
“On Saturday evening, we had dinner with some friends who were there, and we were talking about what we could do during this break period, about a month, because some races were cancelled. We had the idea to do a GT race together.”
Although new to GT racing, Stroll does have a pair of sportscar starts on his C.V. The 27-year-old contested the 2016 24 Hours of Daytona in a Chip Ganassi Racing-run Riley-Ford DP, and returned to the race two years later aboard a Jackie Chan DC Racing x Jota ORECA 07 – Gibson LMP2.
“I really enjoyed racing the 24 Hours of Daytona. It’s a race I truly loved,” Stroll reflected.
“Since then, I’ve been very focused on Formula 1, but this year we don’t have a very competitive car, and we now have some time without races. So it was an idea to change things up a bit — a different mindset during the break.
“Jean-Michel [Baert – Comtoyou team owner] was very accommodating, and we organised everything in about a week. So a big thank you to Jean-Michel — that’s why I’m here racing this weekend.”
The Vantage AMR GT3 Evo offers Stroll a very different test to his regular day job, one he is having to rapidly get up to speed with, and one that also mitigates his previous experience at Circuit Paul Ricard from his single-seater days.
“I’ve raced here in Formula 3 and Formula 1, but GT3 is about 30 seconds slower, so it changes the track a lot. Still, knowing the corners helps,” he said.
“It’s different — less downforce, less power — but it moves more. You can attack kerbs more, which is different. And in traffic, you can follow cars much more closely than in Formula 1.
“I really enjoy driving these cars. It’s fun. This week, I get to share the car with friends, so we laugh outside the car, enjoy ourselves inside the car, and the team is really great. It’s really nice for me to be here.”
With Aston Martin’s Formula 1 programme currently in a dire place, firmly rooted to the bottom of the constructors championship table, this weekend offers Stroll the refreshing opportunity to compete on a level-playing field, something he’s excited for.
“In Formula 1, you don’t always have the opportunity to win,” he admitted.
“Here, it’s very competitive, but even if it’s our first time and we lack experience, if everything comes together — good setup, good feeling — winning is possible. That doesn’t really exist in Formula 1. That’s also a big motivation for me to be here. It’s cool.
“Working on the setup with other drivers and understanding what they feel — that’s really interesting. Single-seaters are a team sport too, but this is different.”
It’s apparent that the fun factor is playing a part, although as with all racing drivers, the serious side takes over once Stroll is out on the circuit.
“For me, whenever I’m in the car with my helmet on — whether it’s here, Formula 1, or even karting — it’s always the same mindset,” he said.
“But here, it’s nice: fewer media duties, more time in the garage working with the team and just driving and enjoying it. Enjoyment — and it’s also a race.”
Naturally, the conversation surrounding Formula 1 drivers and GT3 racing has been dominated in recent months by Max Verstappen. With the Dutchman, through his Verstappen Racing effort, already engaged in the GT World Challenge Europe paddock, he was an obvious candidate for Stroll to turn to for advice when his plan to race at Paul Ricard started formulating.
“We spoke briefly in Suzuka when I had the idea,” Stroll said. “We talked about who to contact, and since he’s already involved in GT racing, we discussed it a bit. Everyone enjoys driving GT3 cars — they’re fun.”
Looking to the future, it appears that, should dates work, this might not be the last time that we see Stroll in a GT3 Aston Martin this season.
“If I feel good physically and mentally, yes — I’d like to do more races during the year.”
The opening day of running at Circuit Paul Ricard wasn’t without its challenges for the #18 Aston Martin, with the car having to be recovered to the pits during the morning session. Nonetheless, the pace appears promising, with them ending the day only 0.586 seconds off the fastest time of the afternoon.
Images courtesy of SRO/JEP
