Lance Stroll is thankful the ongoing situation regarding himself and Esteban Ocon over a Force India race seat in 2019 hasn’t ruptured their friendship.
The Canadian is set to replace the Frenchman next season after his father Lawrence bought the British team earlier in the summer with the consequence being the highly-rated 21-year-old is set to miss out on a seat in Formula 1.
While many would expect Stroll to be the last person Ocon would now consider a friend, instead the pair are often seen together at races with Esteban defending Lance recently on social media.
“We have the same passion, spirit of competition, and the same love for the sport,” he wrote on Instagram. “Please be respectful and show your support, nothing is easy in life and we all work hard to be here.”
Now Stroll has responded with his own message on the photographic platform.
“There’s business, there’s politics in F1. I have my management team, he has his management team, we’re both trying to do what’s best for our careers, and there’s our friendship,” he claimed.
“We competed together in karts, we fought wheel-to-wheel in karts, he was in Prema Formula 3, he won the championship, I came in.
“We’ve always had a good friendship and it’s good to see that bridge hasn’t burned.”
Also Read:
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- Force India would offer reserve driver role to Ocon for 2019
While some have the impression of Stroll as having a silver spoon in his mouth, his father insists the attitude of Lance is what he finds most noticeable.
“He has a great head on his shoulders, especially for a 19-year-old kid,” he commented. “I’m most proud of how wonderful, humble, mature he is.
“A lot of these guys here in the paddock, their heads are quite swollen and very different. Lance doesn’t have any of that in him. That’s not in his DNA.”