Aston Martin F1 star swaps series after Max Verstappen talks

Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso look unimpressed either side of Max Verstappen — Photo: © IMAGO

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Aston Martin F1 star swaps series after Max Verstappen talks

Aston Martin's Lance Stroll is making his GT racing debut this weekend

Matthew Hobkinson Lead Editor

F1 Editor & Journalist

Saturday 11 April 2026 12:57

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Disgruntled Aston Martin F1 star Lance Stroll is leaving the sport behind - at least for this weekend - after a conversation with Max Verstappen.

The four-time champion has made no secret of his displeasure over the new regulations that were introduced for this year.

Verstappen has swung from apathy to retirement threats over his stance on F1 in 2026 as he continues a game of cat and mouse over whether he will remain in the pinnacle of motorsport for another year.

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Fret not for the Dutchman, however, as he has managed to get his racing thrills elsewhere this year.

Verstappen, it turns out, is not the only driver looking to scratch the racing itch away from F1 - as Stroll now follows in his footsteps.

The Canadian is making his GT racing debut this weekend at Paul Ricard, where he will no doubt relish the ability to hold on to a steering wheel without fearing permanent nerve damage.

Stroll: Verstappen helped me make GT switch

Ahead of his debut in the series, Stroll revealed that the Dutchman was a vital ally in making the switch a possibility.

"[I spoke with Max] briefly in Suzuka when I had the idea," Stroll said. "We talked about who to contact, and since he’s already involved in GT racing, we discussed it a bit. Everyone enjoys driving GT3 cars, they’re fun."

Asked about the differences between GT3 and F1, the Canadian gave a candid response.

“It’s different, less downforce, less power - but it moves more," he explained. "You can attack kerbs more, which is different. And in traffic, you can follow cars much more closely than in Formula 1.

"If I feel good physically and mentally, I’d like to do more races during the year.

"For me, whenever I’m in the car with my helmet on, whether it’s here, Formula 1, or even karting, it’s always the same mindset. But here, it’s nice: fewer media duties, more time in the garage working with the team and just driving and enjoying it."

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F1 Max Verstappen Aston Martin Lance Stroll