Former Haas F1 Team Principal Guenther Steiner has launched a scathing attack on Lance Stroll, questioning the Canadian’s place in the sport after another underwhelming year.
Steiner, known for his outspoken opinions, gave a blunt assessment of Stroll’s season to date and highlighted the unique place he holds in the eyes of fans.
The Canadian is in his seventh season in F1 and has yet to take victory, with performances in recent years that have rarely seen him inside the top five or six on race day.
His 2024 season has been less than stellar, currently outside the top ten, scoring just 24 points compared to team-mate Fernando Alonso’s substantially higher haul of 64.
Crashes have once again blighted his momentum this season, most notably hitting the wall in the opening phase of the Jeddah and during practice at Spa, causing a red flag.
Speaking on the Red Flag podcast, Steiner criticised Stroll’s absence in races where he falls off the pace, describing him as “non-existent” in proceedings.
“Lance passes completely under the radar. It’s weird,” he said.
“You never speak good or bad about him, he’s just non-existent.”
An acceptance from F1?
When asked if the sport and fans have accepted Stroll’s presence, he was blunt in his response: “Exactly.”
Steiner stated that although the Canadian is not a bad driver, he still could not pinpoint why he is underwhelming, adding that his motivation can wane depending on the competitiveness of his car.
Steiner’s most cutting remarks were saved for his critique of Stroll’s performance in Singapore, believing he became invisible, also stating he believes Stroll is “above the rules”.
“I don’t think he’s a bad race car driver. I don’t know what it is”, Steiner said.
“Obviously, we all know that he doesn’t need to drive a race car. He alright [financially], so maybe that’s what it is.
“If the car is not [good enough] to [reach] the podium or something, he’s just like: ‘Yeah, I just get by. Who cares? I wait until next year’s car comes and see if that is better.’
“I don’t know. I don’t know the guy, never spoke with him, so I have no idea.
But he’s one of these guys who is rarely spoken about when he’s in the points.
“It’s less spoken about when he’s not in the points. He’s just there.
“If you wouldn’t have brought him up, I wouldn’t have even known that he raced last weekend.
“I need to go and check the stats because he’s just non-visible.
“He was never young, he will never be old. He will just be there. He’s above the rules,” he concluded.
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