Williams have confirmed European Formula 3 champion Lance Stroll will race for the team in 2017, while Valtteri Bottas has also been retained for next season.
When veteran Felipe Massa announced his retirement at the Italian Grand Prix in early September, Stroll quickly became tipped as the hot favourite to replace the outgoing Brazilian.
He clinched the European F3 title after winning 14 out of the 30 races so far this season, scoring 507 points compared to his nearest rival Maximilian Günther on 322 points.
Critics have claimed the young Canadian is merely a pay driver, due to a large amount of financial backing his promotion will bring Williams, but it was the manner in how Stroll won the European F3 championship that certainly sent a statement to those critics and his future competitors.
Having recently turned 18, Stroll will be the youngest driver on the grid taking the mantle away from Red Bull’s Max Verstappen and is the first Canadian to enter Formula One since Jacques Villeneuve who left the sport in 2006.
With Bottas retained for his fifth season at Williams, it means the team will keep hold of a young but experienced driver to lead the team forwards as new regulations are introduced in 2017. However, he now has a young teammate who is keen to prove his worth and will likely force the Finn to up his game.
