Living in the ‘noise’: Stroll opens up on approach to criticism

Lance Stroll knows exactly what follows his name in Formula 1 comment sections – and he doesn’t pretend the criticism is imaginary. But what he has learned, after eight seasons on the grid, is how to decide which voices deserve space in his head and which ones don’t.

From a teenage debutant at Williams to a long-term Aston Martin fixture, Stroll’s career has unfolded under a microscope sharpened by circumstance: a famous surname, a team owned by his father, and results that have too often been judged against elite teammates.

But as the Silverstone-based squad prepares for a F1’s 2026 revolution with Adrian Newey at the helm, the Canadian is sounding off on how he survives the social media snipers and the pundits who consistently point to his “pay driver” tag and sour-faced demeanor.

Speaking candidly, Stroll admits the criticism can sting – if he lets it.

Living In the ‘Noise’

For the 27-year-old, the secret to staying sane in the paddock isn't about winning over the masses; it’s about selective hearing. In a sport where you are only as good as your last sector time, he has learned to treat the roar of the crowd as static.

“I like to see it as just noise," Stroll admitted in Aston Martin’s Unearth Your Greatness series.

"If I buy into it, it bothers me, for sure, but that’s where I am fortunate I have good people around me that I love, that I trust, and I put my attention and value their opinions."

He’s under no illusions about the fickle nature of the F1 fanbase.

"I try and live in my world, not the world in that sense. There’s always going to be criticism. People are very short-minded. You have a couple of good races, you’re great. You have a couple of bad ones, you suck.

"That’s never going to change. That’s why being surrounded by important people and valuing the opinion of people that you care about, that you value, that you really know, their opinion is what matters.

“Don’t take criticism from someone you wouldn’t take advice from.”

The Growth in the Grind

While 2025 was a grueling slog that saw Stroll finish P16 in the Driver’s standings with a mere 33 points, he remains adamant that the scars from his losses are more valuable than the trophies on his shelf.

Despite three career podiums and a stunning pole position in Turkey in 2020, Stroll argues that the real work happens when the champagne isn't flowing.

"We can talk about the podiums and the pole, but let's talk about the losses,” Stroll said.

“I think that's where you learn the most about yourself to grow from those tough moments. I think that's where you really grow as a person, as an athlete, as a driver, from those struggles."

Read also:

• ‘No longer acceptable’: Schumacher takes aim once again at Stroll

As Aston Martin pivots toward a 2026 title tilt, Stroll is bracing for the inevitable roller coaster.

"I want every day to be great and perfect, but that's just not the reality of sport,” he admitted. “In sports, in anything in life that you pursue, there's going to be those highs and those lows.

“You have to accept that before you even go into it. Before every season, I think to myself, 'There's going to be good days and bad days and I have to accept that now.'

“We all love the champagne celebrations. But it's really in those hard moments, in those tough times, that we really learn the most about ourselves and we grow."

Keep up to date with all the F1 news via X and Facebook