Lance Stroll to Debut in GT3 at Paul Ricard

Lance Stroll, the Aston Martin Formula 1 driver, will make his GT3 racing debut next weekend at Circuit Paul Ricard in France, competing in the opening round of the 2026 GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup. The event, scheduled for April 11-12, fills a five-week gap in the F1 calendar created by the cancellations of the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix due to regional instability.

Stroll, a 27-year-old Canadian, will pilot an Aston Martin Vantage GT3 entered by Comtoyou Racing as car number 18 in the Pro class. He will share driving duties with Roberto Merhi, a former Formula 1 driver who raced for Marussia and Manor teams, and 21-year-old Mari Boya, a member of the Aston Martin Driver Academy currently competing in Formula 2. The 59-car field includes seven Aston Martin Vantage GT3 entries, marking the brand's strongest lineup in the series to date.

The race itself is a six-hour endurance event starting at 6 p.m. on Saturday, April 11, and running almost entirely at night until midnight. It presents unique challenges, including limited visibility, traffic management among diverse GT3 machinery, and strategic stint planning to manage tires and track evolution. Stroll...