Aston Martin confirm Lance Stroll to race outside of F1

Aston Martin

Aston Martin confirm Lance Stroll to race outside of F1

Lance Stroll has had a dismal start to the year

Sam Cook Digital Journalist

Sports Journalist who has been covering motorsport since 2023

Thursday 2 April 2026 15:55 Updated: 20:17

Aston Martin have confirmed the participation of F1 star Lance Stroll in a different racing series.

The Silverstone-based F1 team have had a disastrous start to the 2026 F1 season, struggling with reliability and power output issues, so much so that Stroll is yet to have finished a grand prix this year.

Even when the team have managed to get themselves on track for a full session, they have looked like one of the slowest teams in the sport, with Stroll and his team-mate Fernando Alonso qualifying 21st and 22nd respectively for last weekend's Japanese Grand Prix.

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One positive for Aston Martin, however, is that they now have five weeks off to try and fix a few things, with there being no grand prix weekend until May following the cancellation of the Saudi Arabian and Bahrain Grands Prix due to the conflict in the Middle East.

And it seems as though Stroll is taking the opportunity to race in a car that might just provide him with more of a chance of competing near to the front.

Aston Martin have confirmed that Stroll will make up part of their bumper lineup for the season-opening race in the GT World Challenge Europe at Circuit Paul Ricard on April 11.

Aston Martin Vantage cars will make up 10 per cent of the whole grid at the former home of the French Grand Prix, with a 60-car field expected in the pro class of the series.

Stroll will drive the Comtoyou Racing Vantage GT3 alongside former F1 driver Roberto Merhi and Aston Martin junior driver Mari Boya.

Strong lineup for GT World Challenge Europe opener

Of course, while there will be seven Aston Martin Vantage's on the grid for the endurance race at the Circuit Paul Ricard, all eyes will be on a Mercedes car.

Max Verstappen's GT Racing team are using Mercedes machinery for the first time this season, and have the new name of Mercedes-AMG Team Verstappen Racing.

Verstappen's friend Chris Lulham will drive the car alongside one of the greatest GT3 racers of all time in Jules Gounon, and Aston Martin F1 simulator driver Dani Juncadella.

The team are competing in the pro class of the GT World Challenge Europe in 2026, fresh off the back of their Gold Cup success in the series last year.

F1 Aston Martin Lance Stroll