Lawrence Stroll has outlined that he wants his Racing Point operation to be “one of the greatest” in Formula 1 when the new regulation cycle begins next decade.
Stroll led a consortium of investors to take over the financially-ailing Force India squad mid-2018, with the manner in which the takeover unfolded resulting in the team being regarded as a new entry.
The squad, which finished fourth as Force India across 2016/17, is down as Racing Point on the 2019 entry list, but this is expected to change before the start of the season.
In an interview with the official Formula 1 website, Stroll outlined that: “Short term, we want to stay fighting where we are.
“Medium term, we want to try and fight for third, instead of fourth.
“Long term, when all the rules, change, hopefully we will be one of the greatest teams in the paddock.”
On acquiring the operation, Stroll said: “I never planned to buy an F1 team. The reason it interested myself and my consortium of investors was because this is a phenomenally special team.
“To be fourth in 2016 and 2017 – and last year I think they would have also been fourth without the interruption of the shareholding – in this unbelievably competitive environment speaks volumes about the staff working in this very special place.
“These guys have been spending less and performing better.
“I looked at it as a business opportunity, coupling that with spending time speaking to F1 to understand their vision from 2021, which is some sort of budget cap and some sort of a better revenue distribution to the smaller teams.”
Racing Point will launch its 2019 programme in Toronto on February 13.
It will field Lance Stroll, son of Lawrence, alongside team stalwart Sergio Perez.
