Williams's rookie driver Lance Stroll has been taught by one of the best in the sport, Felipe Massa, the two drivers, one new to the sport and one leaving the series, spending the year together at the Grove based squad.
Without a doubt Lance has gained some very valuable knowledge from the Brazilian driver, but as to just who it will be lining up beside him in the 2018 Formula One Championship season, he has the same knowledge as the rest of us, absolutely none!
Lance, in the points at four of the last six grands prix and now into the top 10 in the drivers' standings. Some great runs, lots of great starts, but would it be fair to say that qualifying is where you are going to be putting the bulk of your effort in preparing for 2018?
Yeah, it's been a good run. We've scored quite a few points in the last few races. I'm really happy about how that's gone. For sure, qualifying we still need to adjust a few things. It's mainly been little mistakes here and there and not being able to capitalise on our full potential. But I think with time and experience and analysing bits and pieces we can improve in that and I believe that with the people I'm working with and the team that we can address some of those issues and definitely improve on them in the future. But definitely when it comes to races and the points we've scored, I'm extremely proud of the job we've done and we've just got to keep doing what we're doing.
You will have a new team-mate next season. What profile are you looking for: someone young, someone experienced, or should the team take a gamble?
It's up to the team at the end of the day. My job is to drive my car. I mean I was hoping for Hamilton, but he's not really available these days. I'm just kidding. It's completely up to the team. Like I say, my job is to drive my car and they'll take care of the rest.
Lance, in this your first year, what you do feel that Formula One has different, that you feel like โoh, this is difficult, I have to work on this', and how you felt about this during the year?
Formula One is very different in many ways from any other category. There is a lot more activity going on off the track and the car itself is very different to drive, so technically, driving the car, working with the engineers, working with the team, the weekends are a lot more loaded than any other category. There is a lot more going on everywhere, so you have to put your attention on so many little details that in other categories you don't necessarily do as much. And then, like I said, off the track there are so much more going on, so many media activities and commitments that you have to take part in. So I would say just that the weekends are generally very loaded. But it's becoming easier and easier every single time. The more experience I have and the more weekends I get under my belt it starts to become second nature more and more every single time. It's just part of the process of learning and settling into Formula One, but those are the main things โ the activity off the track and just driving the car and getting used to these kind of cars to drive. They're quite a handful in a fun way, in a good way. So I would say those are the main things.
Lance, before pre-season you said Felipe would be a mentor to you and then, after pre-season started you said it wasn't quite like this. Now a season went by, Felipe has mentored you?
Well, he's been a great team-mate to have. He has a bunch of experience, he brings a lot of knowledge to the team. I think we've understood a lot about the can and how to improve the car throughout the weekends and, for sure, he's been a great guy to have in the team. I think everyone's really enjoyed having him at Williams, and he's had an unbelievable career: many victories, many times on the podium, one point from winning a world championship, so, y'know, definitely an A+ career, that's for sure.
