Williams development driver Lance Stroll has signed off his FIA Formula 3 European championship career with a clean sweep of the final round of the 2016 season at Hockenheim.
Having sealed the title at the previous round in Imola, the Canadian, who has been tipped to replace the retiring Felipe Massa in 2017, won the final three races held at the German Grand Prix venue.
This brings Stroll’s tally to 14 victories in the highly-rated feeder series that has nurtured the likes of Max Verstappen and Esteban Ocon in recent years. Previous Formula 3 champions who have gone on to race in F1 also include Lewis Hamilton (2005), Paul di Resta (2006), Romain Grosjean (2007), Nico Hulkenberg (2008), and Jules Bianchi (2009).
Having secured enough points in the junior categories to be eligible for an FIA Superlicence, Stroll now only needs to reach his 18th birthday, which takes place at the end of this month, to meet all the requirements to compete in grand prix racing.
A former member of the Ferrari Driver Academy, Stroll has been ramping up preparations and securing valuable mileage in a 2014-spec Williams FW36 ahead of his expected graduation.
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