Stroll frustrated as "terrible" tyre graining ends win hopes
Lance Stroll was left frustrated after struggles with tyre graining meant his hopes of a maiden Formula 1 win ended in Turkey as he eventually finished the race ninth
Stroll took a shock pole position in rainy conditions on Saturday in Turkey, and was able to open up a 10-second lead over the field in the opening stages of the race on full wet tyres.
Although Stroll maintained his lead upon the switch to intermediate tyres, his gap to team-mate Sergio Perez narrowed at the front, prompting Racing Point to bring Stroll in for a second stop with 22 laps to go.
But the fresh intermediates grained immediately, causing Stroll to fall back through the field as he struggled for pace, losing positions to a number of drivers.
Stroll was passed by Sebastian Vettel, Charles Leclerc, Carlos Sainz Jr, Max Verstappen, Alexander Albon and Lando Norris after his pit stop, leaving him over a minute off race winner Lewis Hamilton at the chequered flag.
"I don't know what happened, I don't understand," Stroll said after the race.
"We had so much graining on the first set of intermediates. We decided to pit, we were losing seconds a lap.
"I just don't know where that graining came from, it just happened instantly. It grained again, massive graining, and no pace.
"We'll have to look into it, it was pretty terrible today."
The Canadian admitted he was frustrated to see such a big lead go to waste, having still held onto the lead of the race up until his second pit stop.
Perez did not make a second stop for fresh intermediates, eventually getting to the end of the race on a single set that lasted 48 laps, giving the Mexican second place.
"It's just frustrating that you're in the lead by 10 seconds, and then all of a sudden you finish ninth," Stroll said.
"I don't understand how that happens. I mean I do, it's graining, but we just need to look into why it hit me so much harder than the other car. I'm not so sure why."
Previous article
Hamilton: "Lot of work to do" to help F1's anti-racism and sustainability campaigns
Next article
Wolff: Hamilton among all-time sporting greats with seventh F1 title
About this article
| Series | Formula 1 |
| Drivers | Lance Stroll |
| Author | Luke Smith |
How a harshly ejected Red Bull star has been hooked by racing again
Driver-turned-DJ Jaime Alguersuari lost his love for motorsport when he was booted out of Formula 1 just as he was starting to polish his rough edges. Having drifted from category to category then turned his back on racing altogether in 2015, he’s come full circle and is planning a return in karts for fun
Why Mercedes isn't confident it's really ahead of Red Bull at Imola
While Mercedes struck back against Red Bull by topping the times at Imola on Friday ahead of the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, the overall picture remains incredibly close. Despite having a possible edge this weekend, the reigning Formula 1 world champion squad is not taking anything for granted...
What Mercedes must do to keep its F1 title challenge on track
Mercedes may find itself leading the drivers' and constructors' standings after Lewis Hamilton's victory in the Bahrain Grand Prix, but it is well-aware that it came against the odds, with Red Bull clearly ahead on pace. Here's what the Brackley team must do to avoid its crown slipping
Why Tsunoda can become Japan’s greatest F1 talent
While Japan's fever for motor racing is well-documented, the country has yet to produce a Formula 1 superstar – but that could be about to change, says BEN EDWARDS
Why the demise of F1's hypocritical spending habit is cause for celebration
For too long, F1's richest teams have justified being able to spend as much as they want because that's the way they've always conducted their business. STUART CODLING says that's no reason not to kick a bad habit
The double whammy that is defining Vettel’s F1 fate
It's been a tough start to Sebastian Vettel's Aston Martin F1 career, with a lack of pre-season testing mileage followed by an incident-packed Bahrain GP. But two key underlying factors mean a turnaround is not guaranteed
The diva that stole a march on F1’s wide-bodied opposition
In 2017 new F1 technical regulations were supposed to add drama - and peg Mercedes back. STUART CODLING looks at the car which, while troubled, set the stage for the wide-bodied Formula 1 era
The themes to watch in F1’s Imola return
Three weeks is a long time in Formula 1, but in the reshaped start to the 2021 season the teams head to Imola to pick things up after the frenetic Bahrain opener. Here's what to look out for and the developments to follow at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix
