Four-time world champion Alain Prost has defended Williams rookie Lance Stroll after a mixed start to his Formula 1 career, suggesting he hasn’t been given a fair chance by some.
The decision by the Grove-based team to choose the 18-year-old European F3 champion was met with a lot of scepticism as Stroll was quickly labelled a “pay driver” due to the large financial backing offered by his billionaire fashion entrepreneur father Lawrence.
Following three consecutive retirements to start the year, the critics felt largely justified in their pessimism but stronger performances since, including a shock podium at the crazy race in Baku, have left Prost sure the Canadian still deserves a chance to prove himself.
“He was being criticised even before he started,” he told Le Journal de Montreal newspaper. “I said before the season that it would be difficult for him to manage his age and his inexperience. It’s true that he has tested in the 2014 car, but he has had so much to learn, especially this year with these faster cars.
“But when you know F1, you know how difficult it is to get started. Look at Stoffel Vandoorne. He was considered one of the greatest hopefuls and he has had difficulties since the very beginning. But he’s going to get better and better and it’s the same for Lance.”
What has changed in recent years is the ability for young drivers, like Max Verstappen and Esteban Ocon, to arrive in F1 and be quick from the start. As a result, the usual period of grace that was typically given to a rookie driver has almost gone with the expectation of immediate results.
But Prost does still see plenty of potential in Stroll, who had a successful career and also pointed at how he coped in Baku as an example of his abilities.
“We have to give him time. Where we can judge is in his results by the end of the year and especially next year his progress,” the Frenchman, now working with Renault said.
“Today, it is still too early. At the moment, he’s not doing badly. Honestly, in Baku, I looked at his race and he was one of the only drivers not to make a mistake.”
