Both Lance Stroll and Max Verstappen have shared the Formula 1 grid for nine seasons now and have over 400 races of experience between each other.
It’s crazy to consider that both are younger than 27, but it shows just how far Formula 1 has progressed and how much more trust in youth there is nowadays than ever before.
Verstappen has now won four consecutive drivers’ championships and is at the peak of his career with Red Bull.
Stroll on the other hand, has just missed the last race with a wrist injury, but is driving for Aston Martin at an exciting time ahead of the 2026 F1 regulations.
Verstappen may snub Aston Martin for 2026 after rumours in the paddock that he might be prepared to make a move to the Silverstone-based outfit.
Aston Martin also chased George Russell ‘hard’ but it’s unclear whether it would be two-time champion Fernando Alonso losing his seat, or Stroll, who is in his seventh season with them.
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Lance Stroll wanted to copy Max Verstappen’s approach when he arrived in Formula 1
Stroll’s condition ahead of the Canadian Grand Prix is good as he looks set to return to racing action after missing just the one race for a wrist operation.
In his 174 starts, he has managed three podiums and one pole position at the 2020 Turkish Grand Prix – a memorable weekend for many reasons, including Lewis Hamilton’s seventh title triumph.
Canadian journalist Tim Hauraney believes that Stroll tried to emulate Verstappen’s approach when he arrived in Formula 1 by skipping Formula 2.
“He was chasing the Max thing, though, wasn’t he? He was chasing that because he came up at the same time as Verstappen,” he said on The Race’s F1 podcast.
“I always got this feeling that he wanted to do the same thing of like ‘well, Verstappen can go from F3 to F1, so why can’t I do it?’”
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How Lance Stroll has prepared to return to Formula 1 action in Canada
Ahead of the upcoming Canadian Grand Prix, Stroll will have been ultra-eager for a return to action, considering that it’s his home race.
Speaking to the F1 website, he revealed how he was disappointed to miss the last race in Barcelona, but that it was the ‘right call’ to make.
The 26-year-old injured both wrists in a pre-season accident ahead of the 2023 season, which required surgery at the time, too.
This was the first sign of any complications that may have arisen from the injury, but he seems to have recovered speedily from them.
As Aston Martin continue to improve their car, there’s a chance that Stroll may even get to face Verstappen on track. After all, he has scored 14 of their 15 points this season.
