Canadian Formula One champion Jacques Villeneuve is not impressed with rookie countryman Lance Stroll’s debut season.
Stroll has struggled through his first seven races in F1, finally earning points and finishing in the top 10 in Montreal with a ninth-place finish on Sunday.
“The results speak for themselves,” Villeneuve told autoweek.com. “It is one of the worst rookie performances in the history of Formula 1.”
Stroll has faced criticism from those who believe he is only getting the chance to race in F1 due to the support from his billionaire father, Lawrence.
The 18-year-old failed to finish his first three races, and the fact that he qualified in Montreal 10 places behind Williams Martini Racing teammate Felipe Massa has seemed to squash doubts over whether Stroll’s underwhelming results are car-based.
“I don’t care what people think,” Stroll said, when told of Villeneuve’s comments. “I’m happy for me and the team. The rest is noise.
“People who do not like me will always find excuses.”
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