Rock 'n Stroll . . . The Stroller Thread.

I sure couldn't see Marko doing anything which would actually develop a strong driver into a better driver (apart from natural talent), so NO, Absolutely not!

 

LOLOLO, so now we should choose athletes for their money, not their skill!? that's a new low, even for you Andreas....

 

When it comes to Stroll, "hire" is the wrong verb.

 

i guess it's more "acomodate"!

 

The fact is that in Motor Racing the finances tied to a driver is an important part of the full package of 'skills' they bring to the team.

People outside of racing (somewhat rightfully) never understand this. Imagine going to your favorite (insert athletics team name here) and telling them that you are willing to pay to be on the field playing for them. You would be laughed out of the room because the mindset for such a thing does not exist. In racing it is quite the opposite where a driver with enough competence but wealthy can be much more attractive than a greater talent that has no money. In the world of racing there are very very very few teams who hire on the basis of driving talent alone.

 

Wrong comparison with athletes (although you have to be super fit to be a F1 driver): Track and field people only bring themselves to the starting line. Anybody has the money to buy some sneakers.

In racing the winning package is the driver plus car. A car costs money and you can be Schumacher all day long if you don't have the $ to buy your first ride or subsequent rides. MS was lucky that Mr. 20% discovered him.

 

Lance wasn't "hired" by his team. His father bought the team to give his son a seat. The terms "skills" and "driving talent" aren't applicable.

 

Would you say that someone who can buy a F1 team shouldn't offer a drive to his son* ?

*providing he obtains a Superlicense of course.

 

Bingo.

F1 is as much a business as a sport because it takes a lot of $ to be competitive. It's a bit like the America's Cup: You need a boat load (pun intended) of cash to have a top notch yacht built. Talent in operating the boat is crucial but by no means the only component to win. Which is why it is a sport normally played by the super rich.

 

Also this idea that Stroll bought an F1 team 'just' for his son is nonsense. Stroll made a bunch of money in the fashion business but is also a car enthusiast. By turning his business acumen to Aston Martin and Racing Point he is able to apply his skills to building these brands while at the same time helping and being near his son.

Think of it as billionaire 'father-son' time while continuing to work and likely making a boatload of cash at the same time. Stroll is no dummy and he is not blowing his fortune on his son. In a few years time I suspect he'll be wealthier from these automotive business ventures.

 

You are certainly right on his motivation.

Whether he'll actually make $ in F1 and the related car business remains to be seen. Just saying this because of the old adage
"How do you make millions in F1? You start with a billion." Many others have tried and failed or paid the heavy price. Then again this is pure speculation as I have no idea about the details of the Aston Martin deal. Maybe until now Stroll Sr. was bleeding cash but now it will be Aston Martin picking up the tab. Dunno.

 

nah you need a boatload more than the boatload of money that the next richest sporting yachtsman has available to spend

 

And this is why Verstappen swears at him so often.

Reposting this in the Max thread.

 

Lance needs a hug . . .

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/stroll-confidence-lost-racing-point/4903925/?ic_source=home-page-widget&ic_medium=widget&ic_campaign=widget-1

 

... and Max a anger management course !

 

LMAO, ROF !

 

That article was on PF1 last week lol. Same quoted remarks. Lance needs speed and some good situational judgement. What more support is needed. HIS FATHER OWNS THE BLOODY TEAM LOL

 

Maybe he just needs a tug?

 

Lando weighs in (at the end)

 

I wholeheartedly disagree. It's true that Lawrence involvement with motorsport is old, having raced as a gentleman driver and buying the Mont Tremblant circuit, but after Lance got serious into karting, his mission (Lawrence's) has been to make his son a F1 world champion. Lawrence's approach in karting when Lance arrived in Europe was never seen, if not considered bizzare by the karting community back then. He approached the world champion team, of the most respected team manager, to sign Lance. A few weeks later, he sent to this team a brand new, F1-like motorhome of +300K euro just because he wanted his son to be in the best of the best. This approach has been translated into F1, no doubt, and I bet there is in Vettel's contract a duty to mentor Lance.

His involvement with Aston Martin road cars is a separate matter from a business perspective but obviously very convenient when you already own a F1 team.

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Nice CV - 4x WDC and Lance tutor lol

 

Keke Rosberg did the same for Nico in his karting days.

 

Well, to a certain degree every parent who helps his kid does the same. Papa Stroll has taken it to . . . . I don't want to say extreme levels, because for him it may be easy beans.

 

I knew one of Nico's mechanics from his karting days; he told me Keke used to spend around 200K € per year in the 90s.
I don't know if that's true. I have no idea how much a karting budget could be, but I believe just the travelling to all the events would cost a bomb.