Overview
- Stroll will share Comtoyou Racing’s No. 18 Aston Martin Vantage GT3 with Roberto Merhi and Mari Boya in the GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup season opener, a six-hour race at Paul Ricard entered in the Pro class within a 59-car field.
- The plan began over dinner during the Suzuka F1 weekend and came together in about a week under team owner Jean‑Michel Baert, after Stroll sought brief guidance from Max Verstappen on who to contact in GT racing.
- After his first running in the series’ Prologue, Stroll’s car placed 26th in Wednesday’s afternoon session, giving him track time in a GT3 after years focused on single‑seaters.
- Stroll says the switch offers enjoyment and a realistic shot at a win, contrasting with Aston Martin’s poor F1 form this year that has included performance and reliability issues.
- The Canadian, who previously raced prototypes at the Rolex 24 at Daytona, says he could add more GT3 events later in 2026 if he feels up to it, reflecting a broader move by F1 drivers sampling GT racing.