Lance Stroll Confirmed for 2017 Williams drive alongside Bottas

Williams has recently announced that Lance Stroll will line up alongside Valtteri Bottas for the 2017 season. This comes just a month after Stroll won the Formula 3 Championship title, a feat that ensured him an FIA super license, something he qualified for when he turned 18 on October 29th. Our sources say that Martini, Williams' title sponsor, was skeptical about announcing an underage teenager as a driver, and instructed the team to wait until after his 18th birthday to publicly reveal his signing. Stroll will be the first Canadian Formula 1 driver in at least a decade, after Jacques Villenueve's retirement in the mid-2000s.

"To be honest I don't think it has quite sunk in yet. I have been focused on F3 in 2016."

"I think Williams has so much history and believes in bringing in talent and to be a part of that history now, I am really excited to be in F1."

"It is going to be really amazing. Being in Melbourne and being in Montreal will be an exceptional feeling. I'm happy to be on the grid."

The young Canadian has been the prime choice for the seat ever since Felipe Massa announced his retirement back on the first of September. He has shown exemplary pace and skill, and a surprising amount of maturity both on and off track; combine this with a billionaire father and eager sponsors, and you get the best man (or boy) available for Williams in 2017 - not only a pivotal year for Williams, but for Formula 1 as a whole. The praise has not come without doubt, however, as some are unsure of the 17 year old's experience and physical ability. The 2016 regulations have allowed for record-breaking speeds, and the 2017 regulations will bring more downforce, more grip, and more power, possibly leading to the fastest Formula 1 cars in history. Could a teenager with only F3 experience manage that?

Well, only time will tell, but one thing is for sure... next season is shaping up to be a cracker - and Lance Stroll looks set to impress.