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Think back to when you were 11 and barely mature enough to ride a bike, much less drive a car. Now, think back to when you were 11 years ago. Shoot, you've probably still got stuff on your to-do list that dates back that far. Get ready to feel old, very old.Ferrari has accepted Lance Stroll, a barely-a-decade-old kid from Montreal, Canada, to its prestigious drivers' academy. Stroll, the youngest-ever recruit, is a two-time Canadian national champion in the Rotax Mini Max division.
"We are pleased to welcome Lance to our group," said Luca Baldisserri (must...resist...Luca Brasi...joke), the director of the Ferrari Driving Academy. "He is very young, but he has already shown in karting that he is exceptionally talented. We will follow him step by step in his forthcoming events in North America and he will soon also take part in our courses at Maranello."
Stroll has already received nominations from the Federation Sport Automobile du Quebec as Rookie of the Year in 2008 and Driver of the Year in 2009.
Oh, and he was born in 1998. You know, the year "Seinfeld" ended and Dale Earnhardt finally won the Daytona 500. Yeah, then. Sheesh. Somebody get my cane for me.

OH EM GEE!!

They sign them up younger these days.

It's good and bad. Good that a very talented kid gets his future career bankrolled, but bad that the kid has probably signed away (or his agent has signed for him) a chance to grow up normally and make his own choices.

His father Lawrence Stroll happens to own Ferrari Montreal and Circuit Mont Tremblant. The press release doesn't mention that for some reason He has a net worth of around $450,000,000. While the kid is good (he hasn't raced at the highest levels yet), so would you be if your dad was one of the richest men in your country and had already had a verrrryyy strong relationship to Ferrari. It certainly has a wiff of PR stunt that one of Ferrari's biggest and most successful customers has his son signed to the young driver programme.

Quote from Intrepid :

His father Lawrence Stroll happens to own Ferrari Montreal and Circuit Mont Tremblant.

Aha! Good to know that. No wonder he got this opportunity...

Quote from Intrepid :

While the kid is good (he hasn't raced at the highest levels yet), so would you be if your dad was one of the richest men in your country

Wasn't it you who said money doesn't matter, it's not that expensive to go karting, anyone who wants to do it can do it, and the cream always rises to the top?

I'm paraphrasing of course but I'm pretty sure that was you.

Quote from thisnameistaken :

Wasn't it you who said money doesn't matter, it's not that expensive to go karting, anyone who wants to do it can do it, and the cream always rises to the top?

I'm paraphrasing of course but I'm pretty sure that was you.

This kid doesn't race at the highest levels and his dad happens to be a strong partner to Ferrari. And you're wrong in you paraphrasing (no surprise)

Quote from Töki (HUN) :

Aha! Good to know that. No wonder he got this opportunity...

i saw this article on the news a couple days before it got posted here... i knew there had to have been some gimmick.

is that the only way to get a racing career from karting (getting daddy to pull strings)? not that it matters to me, i'm too old, too fat, too tall, too cash-strapped to get into RL racing... that's why i got lfs.

Quote from Intrepid :

This kid doesn't race at the highest levels and his dad happens to be a strong partner to Ferrari. And you're wrong in you paraphrasing (no surprise)

Although his dad is a multimillionaire, Lance is definetly a good driver. You say he doesnt race in the highest levels but he's won Florida Winter Tours IIRC.. That's a pretty big event in North America. I think he went to the Rotax World Finals and ranked 5th-6th which is a pretty good result too in one of the highest levels in which everyone is running the same chassis and motor. So, imo, he's skilled, grew up in a racing environment and the fact that he's going this far is indeed thanks to his dad, but without the skill, i doupt he would've gotten signed.

P.S : He also won 2 canadian nationals, a Coupe de Montreal (which has amazing drivers), got 2nd in Florida Winter Tour and then went on to win it the following year, and that World Finals rank was 6th (just looked it up.)

No wonder Shotglass hates Canadians!

Quote from evilpimp :

Rotax...............highest levels

I sense that's where Intrepid may not agree with.

Quote from evilpimp :

Although his dad is a multimillionaire, Lance is definetly a good driver. You say he doesnt race in the highest levels but he's won Florida Winter Tours IIRC.. That's a pretty big event in North America. I think he went to the Rotax World Finals and ranked 5th-6th which is a pretty good result too in one of the highest levels in which everyone is running the same chassis and motor. So, imo, he's skilled, grew up in a racing environment and the fact that he's going this far is indeed thanks to his dad, but without the skill, i doupt he would've gotten signed.

P.S : He also won 2 canadian nationals, a Coupe de Montreal (which has amazing drivers), got 2nd in Florida Winter Tour and then went on to win it the following year, and that World Finals rank was 6th (just looked it up.)

I know people who have with less that $20,000 performed and got results at higher levels and you don't see Ferrari knocking at their door. The Rotax World Finals is hardly the pinnacle of karting. It's a tough little competition, but not the pinnacle. And trust me just because everyone is on the same gear doesn't make it harder!

The kid is a good driver, no one is arguing this, as any kid would be with a dad worth $450,000,000 and who has a very strong business relationship with Ferrari. If I had 450,000,000 I'd be in GP2 right now having a right laugh!

Are you seriously saying this kid has been chosen on merit? So out of all the absolutely fantastic talent around the world who prove them self at a higher level with far less funds, Ferrari choose the son of their muilti-millionaire Canadian friend and business partner before the Canadian GP.

do you think he would be still getting signed if he had won nothing at all? imo, the money has helped(not even the money, more his dads contacts with ferrari). but it was him that was doing the winning. all power to him i think. how many kids would love to be in his position? how many people have gotten jobs due to their fathers contacts? i know alot of guys who are in the same business as their fathers. this is no different.

Quote from dadge :

do you think he would be still getting signed if he had won nothing at all? imo, the money has helped(not even the money, more his dads contacts with ferrari). but it was him that was doing the winning.

In Rotax you can certainly win with money. A matched engine can cost upwards of £10,000 even hitting £25,000.That's more than most competitors yearly budgets. In fact some dealers won't sell you their best engines FULL STOP! So when your dad has $450,000,000 and is a business partner with Ferrari would be very difficult indeed not to win. Rotax is supposed top be a budget class so when guys race in it with $450,000,000 in the bank it's kinda unfair on everyone else.

I certainly know drivers who've won a whole lot more at a higher level than Rotax with a whole lot less money.

It's clearly a pr stunt, and while Ferrari can do what they want, it's somewhat of a shame for other younger drivers who compete at higher levels, and achieve better results, yet get absolutely nowhere. it's kinda a punch int he face for them

the ammount of cash in his dads account has nothing to do with that kid though (imo) and you can't blame him for the restrictions being so relaxed. i agree it is a pr stunt. but for that kid, it's probs a dream come true. yes, it has been made easier because of his father. but that can be said for alot of drivers i think. the kid has probs lost out on some valuable experience due to the ammount of cash his dad can throw at his carting. but he's still not to blame for it.
what would you do if you were that kids father?

Quote from dadge :

the ammount of cash in his dads account has nothing to do with that kid though (imo) and you can't blame him for the restrictions being so relaxed. i agree it is a pr stunt. but for that kid, it's probs a dream come true. yes, it has been made easier because of his father. but that can be said for alot of drivers i think. the kid has probs lost out on some valuable experience due to the ammount of cash his dad can throw at his carting. but he's still not to blame for it.
what would you do if you were that kids father?

I am not having a go at the kid, just showing people that this is nothing more than a PR stunt. I actually wouldn't be surprised to find the dad has paid Ferrari to put his kid on the program rather than it being the other way round. This is usually how it works A dream come true? He's been involved with Ferrari all of his life, so I don't think he ever had time to 'dream', it's been a reality his whole life!

I am just highlighting that's it's a shame Ferrari would use this kid as a PR stunt in the way they are trying to fool the public into thinking they've signed up some unknown kid when it turns out it's nothing of the sorts.

The level this kid has achieved is nothing that special. He hasn't done anything other normal average income family kids haven't already done with ffaarrrr less money.

he is a kid of course so we can't have a go at him! Just showing the nature of publicity and f1... it's all a game!

heres a pic of his dads ride

Intrepid, I do agree that the money and contacts are the main reason he got signed. However like someone up there mentioned, if he didnt deliver the driving part of it, he wouldn't have gotten signed either. I do see what you mean by money makes a difference even in sealed engines like Rotax, but theres only so much you can invest. When you get to the World Finals, or big events like Florida Winter Tour, you usually have a bunch of sponsors backing you and money isn't an issue anymore. When they get there, they can pretty much get anything they want. A 20 000$ motor, etc. So if they all get the best gear, they're pretty much evenly matched.

Just a little side note, he went to World Finals in Mini Roc because he was too young and they race unsealed motors, so money probably played a role in there but I still think that a bunch of people in the field where running motors as good as his.

All I'm saying is that, he did deliver the results, he is a good driver, but he only got signed because of his dads contacts. But if he was a crap driver, he wouldn't get signed and if he didn't have contacts, he wouldn't have gotten signed. It takes both...

Quote from evilpimp :

All I'm saying is that, he did deliver the results, he is a good driver, but he only got signed because of his dads contacts. But if he was a crap driver, he wouldn't get signed and if he didn't have contacts, he wouldn't have gotten signed. It takes both...

With THAT much money it's next to impossible to not be good! I am pretty sure I could take any kid on the planet who had a thing for motorsport and take them to that level if I had unlimited funds.

The level of results he has achieved are pretty much replicated by hundreds of drivers around the world. In fact there are many drivers with more skill and talent who are achieving better results with less money.

Money is always an issue. I've been involved in motorsport for 20+ years and trust me if you have 450,000,000 and are racing at that level you have to have serious issues with driving NOT to win. I suspect this is his dad paying for his son to be on the programme anyway which would be fair enough. This is how motorsport works nowadays!

Also one thing... sealed motors do not reduce costs for racing. They can in fact quadruple engine costs!

I see what you mean, there are better drivers in the world for sure. But they don't have the contacts. It takes both to make it far in motorsports imo. Skill and contacts. What I was trying to prove to you is that he does have skill, it's not just because of the money. Are you telling me that no one in Florida Winter Tour or World Finals had gear as good as him? That's really hard to believe. That's why I'm saying he is a really good driver. It doesn't matter if he's a good driver because his dads a multi-millionaire or because he grew up in a racing environment, that's completely irrelevant. The fact of the matter is he is a good driver. Sure, put me in the same kart as him against him and I'll probably go far. He'd still have the contacts and not me. All I'm saying is that he is a good driver and its not just the money and gear thats getting him far. As a driver he's good and he's fortunate enough to have a dad that's a multi-millionaire and have contacts with ferrari...

Quote from AstroBoy :

OH EM GEE!!

At this conversation

PS: His father is the BIGGEST DOUCHEBAG in history, had the unpleasant chance to meet him once at mt. tremblant racetrack, and the guy just screams of snob rich **** and he acts 1000% like it.

Quote from Intrepid :

With THAT much money it's next to impossible to not be good! I am pretty sure I could take any kid on the planet who had a thing for motorsport and take them to that level if I had unlimited funds.

The level of results he has achieved are pretty much replicated by hundreds of drivers around the world. In fact there are many drivers with more skill and talent who are achieving better results with less money.

Money is always an issue. I've been involved in motorsport for 20+ years and trust me if you have 450,000,000 and are racing at that level you have to have serious issues with driving NOT to win. I suspect this is his dad paying for his son to be on the programme anyway which would be fair enough. This is how motorsport works nowadays!

Some of the best drivers in F1 have had money show there direction to F1, Hamilton and Vettel spring to mind.

He's dad might have 450 million but its not like hes going to use all of it to fund hes sons racing career, and im pretty sure Alguersuari's dad is richer.

Im not going to complain really as it would mean i would basically have to complain about any good driver on the planet if thats the case, but if he ends up good then it will show if he doesn't it will show as well(like piquet jnr).

omg he got signed when he has won two Mini Max championships. He will face 10x harder racing on KF3 (if he ever makes it there)