Williams rookie Lance Stroll continued his comprehensive on-track preparation for 2017 last week, running laps at Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia with a 2014 Williams FW36.

Stroll comes into Formula 1 as perhaps the best prepared rookie in history, his father having funded a huge test programme - reputed to cost about $80 million - which started last year and has seen the 18-year-old accumulate track time and huge mileage surrounded by a dedicated team supplied by Williams.

  • F1 no Sunday stroll for Lance

Stroll is expected to continue his full scale training activity by getting acquainted with two other non-European venues before stepping into the thick of things when pre-season testing begins in earnest at the end of February in Barcelona.

GALLERY: F1 drivers' wives and girlfriends

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

Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.

Recent Posts

Two on the trot for Laffite and Ligier in Brazil

On this day in 1979, Jacques Laffite won the Brazilian Grand Prix at Interlagos as…

55 mins ago

Russell hungry for ‘head-to-head’ title clash with Verstappen

George Russell is not hiding his appetite for a showdown this season in F1. In…

2 hours ago

Vowles confident Williams won’t start F1 season ‘on the back foot’

Williams may have missed the first public glimpse of Formula 1’s bold new era, but…

3 hours ago

Mercedes Allison’s big takeaway from F1’s Barcelona test

Mercedes technical director James Allison arrived in Barcelona last week bracing for chaos – and…

5 hours ago

Verstappen rules out F1 management role after retirement

Max Verstappen has made one thing crystal clear about life after Formula 1: don’t expect…

22 hours ago

Williams unveils bold new 2026 livery for FW48

Williams has officially pulled the wraps off the striking new look of its 2026 Formula…

22 hours ago