Lance Stroll backed to follow Max Verstappen footsteps

Lance Stroll's return to GT racing at Paul Ricard has sparked debate over whether the Canadian is preparing to follow Max Verstappen's lead in balancing Formula 1 with sports cars, or simply filling time during an unexpected calendar gap.

The Aston Martin driver competed in the opening round of the GT World Challenge Europe Series on April 11-12, sharing the #18 Aston Martin Vantage GT3 with Roberto Merhi and Mari Boya. 

It marked his first non-F1 appearance since the 2018 Daytona 24 Hours, while his last race in a GT car came a decade ago in the 2016 Daytona 24 Hours.

A RacingNews365 poll revealed a divided fanbase on Stroll's intentions. Almost half of respondents, 45.1%, believe he is laying the groundwork for a permanent move away from F1 to GT racing. 

A further 31.0% suggest he will mirror Verstappen's approach, competing in both categories simultaneously, whilst 23.9% view it as merely filling the void created by the cancellation of the Bahrain and Saudi Arabia Grands Prix due to tensions in the Middle East.

The Paul Ricard outing proved challenging. Stroll's entry finished 48th following a late gearbox failure, having accumulated over eight minutes in penalties for track limit infringements and a collision. 

Despite limited night running in practice, Stroll registered the eighth-fastest lap of the race before handing over to his co-drivers.

Verstappen has demonstrated that combining F1 with GT racing is feasible, competing in Mercedes-AMG machinery with his own team throughout 2026. 

Whether Stroll views GT racing as a long-term proposition or simply an opportunity to maintain sharpness during an enforced break remains unclear. With Aston Martin's struggles showing no signs of abating, the question of his future focus may become increasingly relevant as the season progresses.

Check out the full poll results below!