Guenther Steiner's airs Lance Stroll theory after 'stupid' Brazilian GP 'brain fart'

If Lawrence Stroll didn’t own Aston Martin, Lance Stroll wouldn’t be in F1. Not because he is a bad driver, but because he doesn’t want to be an F1 driver.

That’s the opinion of former Haas team boss Guenther Steiner, who has given his response to Stroll’s disastrous Brazilian Grand Prix weekend.

What did Lance Stroll do next? ‘Something more stupid’

Stroll had a nightmare outing in Brazil, where an already difficult weekend turned into a case of ‘what can go wrong did go wrong’ on race day.

The Canadian crashed heavily in Sunday morning’s qualifying session – one of five drivers to find the barrier at a wet Interlagos circuit – but lined up on the grid in 10th place after his mechanics worked furiously to repair his AMR24.

However, he never got to see the start as he went off on the formation lap and while he came to a halt on a section of asphalt, promptly drove his AM24 into a sodden gravel trap as he tried to make his way back onto the track. His car became beached.

“The pressure got to him,” declared Steiner on the Red Flag podcast. “He knew he did something stupid on the formation lap and then just didn’t take control anymore of what he was doing.

“I think he panicked. In situations when the world is looking at you, you’re always critiqued, you do something stupid on the formation [lap].

“What to do next? Something more stupid. It’s just like a brain fart.”

F1 2024: Team-mate head-to-head stats

👉F1 2024: Head-to-head qualifying record between team-mates

👉F1 2024: Head-to-head race statistics between team-mates

Steiner feels Stroll is caught somewhat between a rock and an Aston Martin as he doesn’t believe the Canadian even wants to be in Formula 1.

Put to him that for ‘a guy who hates his job, he’s pretty good at it’, Steiner said he doesn’t believe Stroll would be in Formula 1 if his father didn’t own Aston Martin. Not because he wouldn’t get a seat elsewhere, but because the Italian doesn’t think Stroll wants to be an F1 driver.

“He never seems to be happy, whatever happens,” said the former Haas team boss.

“So would he be a World Champion if he would be happy? I don’t know about that one because some people can be good when even they’re unhappy.

“We think he’s unhappy and maybe it’s just his expression.

“I think a lot of people critique him: ‘He’s such a bad driver. He’s just there because daddy has the team.’

“But put it this way: if daddy wouldn’t have a team, I don’t think Lance would be a Formula 1 driver, because he doesn’t want to be one.”

Steiner’s latest comments come after he described Stroll as “just non existent” in the aftermath of September’s Singapore GP.

He said: “Lance passes completely under the radar. It’s weird. You never speak good or bad about him, he’s just non-existent.”

Put to him that F1 fans have just accepted Stroll being around, he added: “Exactly. I don’t think he’s a bad race car driver. I don’t know what it is.

“Obviously, we all know that he doesn’t need to drive a race car. He alright [financially], so maybe that’s what it is.

“If the car is not [good enough] to [reach] the podium or something, he’s just like: ‘Yeah, I just get by. Who cares? I wait until next year’s car comes and see if that is better.’

“I don’t know. I don’t know the guy, never spoke with him, so I have no idea, but he’s one of these guys who is rarely spoken about when he’s in the points.

“It’s less spoken about when he’s not in the points. He’s just there.

“If you wouldn’t have brought him up, I wouldn’t have even known that he raced last weekend. I need to go and check the stats because he’s just non-visible.

“He was never young, he will never be old. He will just be there. He’s above the rules.”

Lance Stroll insists he ‘loves’ F1 racing

Last year a rumour did the rounds that claimed Stroll was considering quitting Formula 1 and taking up tennis.

But while he joked about needing to work on his backhand, he insisted to the media including PlanetF1.com that he “loves” Formula 1.

“One day we’re all going to wake up and make that decision, I think every driver on this grid,” he said. “But right now I’m thinking about the race. For sure I want to keep racing. It’s what I love to do.”

His commitment was questioned again by Jacques Villeneuve this year, but Stroll said he wanted to continue “being a part” of the Aston Martin into the future.

He will remain at the team in F1 2025, once again partnering double World Champion Fernando Alonso.

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