Who slept best last night: Lance Stroll

After last year’s Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona this column wished Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff a good night’s sleep – mostly because of his memorable press conference appearance where he took aim at the “lunatics” directing “online abuse” at his team based on improbable conspiracy theories.

Twelve months on, unfortunately, the core issue remains unchanged – only this time Lance Stroll is the object of online derangement.

Hardly a week goes by without another disturbing story from the digital world – be it frenzied Franco Colapinto fans hurling racist abuse at Yuki Tsunoda, or the never-ending online battles between supporters of Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen. And after the events of race day in Barcelona, that latter one has had yet another payload of fuel delivered...

But even before the Barcelona race, another frequent target was already under fire: Stroll. And this time, the criticism couldn’t have been more misplaced – the Canadian had to withdraw from the Spanish Grand Prix due to injury.

The online reaction? “Rich kid”, “softie”, “unprofessional”, “hopefully retiring soon”, “no one will notice”, “finally”, and – most bizarrely – “why don’t you go play tennis!” That last one wins the special award, since Stroll’s absence was due to a lingering hand injury.

Lance Stroll, Aston Martin Racing (Photo by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images via Getty Images)

What’s worth noting, though, is this: the vast majority of comments about Stroll were dripping with ridicule – and in the unregulated Wild West of social media, some even descended into hate speech. And it makes me wonder: why is that? Is it simply a symptom of the envy-driven society we live in? Is Stroll, with his father’s wealth, just an inevitable lightning rod?

Even from a journalistic perspective – and having encountered Lance Stroll a few times personally – one must admit, yes, he can be awkward. He barely answers questions, seems distant, disengaged.

Nothing new there. But let’s not forget: those same traits made Kimi Raikkonen a cult figure and fan favorite.

With Stroll, it’s the opposite. Why? Is it really just about his sometimes mediocre performances? Is he truly as underwhelming as his critics claim – or is that just a tired myth?

Admittedly, it’s hard to judge. Stroll is a case of light and shadow. Yes, there are some weak days – like in Sao Paulo last year, when he crashed on the formation lap, prompting Brazilian fans to chant “Drugovich, Drugovich”, calling for the reserve driver.

Felipe Drugovich, Aston Martin (Photo by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images)

But there are other days, too: in wet or mixed conditions, Stroll often finds himself among the gainers, not the victims. On certain tracks – ones he clearly enjoys more – like Baku or Monza, he sometimes shines and has even stood on the podium there.

So yes, maybe Stroll is a "mood driver". But he’s not alone – even Hamilton, the most successful driver in F1 history, has had his mood-driven weekends.

Of course, Stroll’s talent doesn’t compare with Hamilton’s. And naturally, his inconsistency puts him a step behind team-mate Fernando Alonso.

But a glance at the 2025 standings tells a slightly different story: until Spain, Stroll had scored all of Aston Martin’s points this season, with several quietly effective races – and in Monaco, he pulled off the only truly bold overtake of the race, against Nico Hulkenberg.

Lance Stroll, Aston Martin Racing (Photo by: Peter Fox / Getty Images)

The bottom line? No, Stroll may never be world champion – but he’s also a better racer than his reputation suggests.

And like the other 19 drivers, he deserves a fair assessment. Regarding his injury – which stems from a pre-season cycling accident two years ago – it’s safe to say he knows his own body better than the armchair experts.

And even those who do have medical knowledge beyond the scope of a Google search have likely never had Stroll’s right wrist under their X-ray.

Speculating on medical decisions from a distance is a futile exercise. If the pain calls for surgery, so be it. The idea that he’d willingly risk missing his home Grand Prix in Canada? Hard to imagine.

There are claims Stroll lost his temper behind the scenes after a Q2 exit in Barcelona. Whether or not that’s true – and whether the supposed frustration wasn’t simply directed at the pain – we’ll never know. But if it was frustration, that shows he does care.

This is another frequent criticism of Stroll: that he appears indifferent (at least outside the car). True, he doesn’t score many points for charm.

But maybe he’s just being honest? Maybe he really doesn’t feel like answering the same recycled questions from a mob of sweaty reporters?

Because part of the truth is this: if there’s one driver who doesn’t need the F1 media circus, it’s Stroll. He owns the safest seat in Formula 1 – literally. He doesn’t need self-promotion or PR games. And in that sense, perhaps it’s time we reassess Stroll position in the sport.

Lance Stroll, Aston Martin Racing, Adrian Newey, Chief Technical Officer of Aston Martin F1 (Photo by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images via Getty Images)

Let’s flip the argument on its head. Imagine your father owns a Formula 1 team. Imagine he hires the best car designer in the sport’s history. Imagine you get to decide your own future in racing. Imagine you’re just 26 – not 43…

By that measure, Lance Stroll should be the one sleeping best every week.

And yet, he had the courage to sit out a race in Spain. That deserves respect. True motorsport fans know – especially since the tragic accident that claimed the life of Greg Moore at the 1999 Champ Car finale in Fontana – that no one should drive a race car with a compromised hand. Stroll made the right call, for sure.