Lance Stroll will swap his struggling Formula 1 seat for a seat in the GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup at Paul Ricard this weekend. The Canadian will pilot Comtoyou Racing’s Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Evo alongside Roberto Merhi and Mari Boya, marking only his third major sport‑scar appearance after two Daytona prototype outings. The move exploits a rare gap in the F1 calendar.

Aston Martin’s F1 programme has faltered despite spending and the recruitment of designer Adrian Newey. A strained works tie with Honda leaves the power unit rattled by vibrations, and Stroll has yet to finish a race in the opening three rounds, while teammate Fernando Alonso also sits point‑less. The team’s reliability woes have also forced several strategy revisions.

Stroll says the GT3 field offers a realistic shot at victory, something he rarely sees in F1. He praised team‑owner Jean‑Michel Baert for arranging the entry in under a week and hinted at more sport‑scar outings if his physical and mental state permits. He hopes the experience will sharpen his racecraft.