Williams’ Stroll climbs podium, ignores critics’ ‘noise’

BAKU: Lance Stroll became only the second teenager in Formula One history to record a podium finish when he marked his rookie season with his maiden third place in Sunday’s wild Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

Driving his Williams with calm aplomb on an afternoon of chaos, the 18year- old Canadian silenced his critics with his top- three finish in only his eighth outing. He was just 12 days older than Dutchman Max Verstappen was when he won the 2016 Spanish Grand Prix on debut with Red Bull.

“I am a bit lost for words,” said Stroll. “It was such an intense race, a crazy race, and so much happened – the red f lag and hopping out of the car and hopping back in and having to reset. It happened so quickly.

“Today where we did well was to stay out of trouble, let some other drivers make mistakes and get to the end. I can’t describe how I feel. It’s a dream come true – every racing driver wants to stand on the podium at a Formula One race.”

At his home Canadian Grand Prix recently, Stroll was ninth.

On Sunday, he was only beaten to second place by Mercedes’ Valtteri Bottas on the final straight.

“I don’t think it proves a point,” said Stroll who came in for a stream of criticism for his results earlier in the season. “I don’t listen to that stuff, it is just noise. I had it last year when I had the perfect year and this year when I had some tough times. I am just happy with myself. It is all just noise in the background, I don’t care.”

Stroll did a test in a 2014 Williams car to prepare himself last year and is continuing that this year, having made a set-up breakthrough when he tested again at Austin, in Texas, after the Canada race.