Lance Stroll wouldn’t want to be in Formula 1 if his dad Lawrence didn’t own Aston Martin.
That’s the view of former Haas team boss Guenther Steiner, who gave a withering assessment of the Canadian’s efforts in Brazil.
Stroll Jr. had a disastrous Brazilian Grand Prix weekend last time out, which continued his sliding form since the summer break.
The 26-year-old capped an error-strewn stint in Sao Paulo by failing to make the race start following an incident on the formation lap.
Stroll, who had crashed in qualifying, beached his Aston Martin in his efforts to recover from a spin at Turn 4 during the pre-Grand Prix lap.
F1’s No.18 found himself stuck after inexplicably driving his AM24 straight into a sodden gravel trap while looking to return to track.
Drive to Survive favourite Steiner believes Stroll’s continued criticism has played a role in his mistake.
“The pressure got to him,” said 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.”
Stroll, who is on a reported $2million salary at Aston Martin and is the heir to his father’s extortionate empire, has faced constant barbs that his place in F1 has been given and not earned.
He has managed just 24 points this season, 38 behind his teammate Fernando Alonso, and his point-less run is now up to eight races.
Stroll, who has zero wins and just three podiums in 163 Grand Prix starts, was jeered for his latest gaffe in Brazil.
The partisan crowd ironically cheered his error in support of home favourite and Aston Martin reserve Felipe Drugovich.
However, Steiner doesn’t believe Stroll even wants to be in F1 either.
“He never seems to be happy, whatever happens,” added 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.”
Stroll will remain at his father’s Aston Martin team next year, once again partnering double world champion Alonso.
Speaking post-race, he explained his version of his initial spin but refused to disclose why he drove into the damp gravel.
“It was a really strange one,” Stroll said.
“It felt like a brake failure because as soon as I touched the brakes it locked the rear axel and I became a passenger.
“I was stuck in the gravel and my race was done.”
