Canadian Lance Stroll will make his maiden GT race appearance at the GT World Challenge Europe opener at Paul Ricard on April 11-12. The Aston Martin Vantage GT3, entered by Comtoyou Racing, will see Stroll share driving duties with Roberto Merhi and Mari Boya. Stroll, 27, has sportscar racing experience from Daytona 24 Hours entries but primarily focused on F1 with Williams and Aston Martin.

This marks his first foray into production-based GT racing. GT World Challenge Europe, run by SRO, is a leading championship featuring endurance and sprint events. Stroll's participation follows a trend of F1 drivers exploring endurance racing, notably Max Verstappen's recent ventures into GT, including testing the same Vantage GT3 model Stroll will drive.

Verstappen's frustration with F1's hybrid rules and his testing of the Vantage GT3 underscore the growing crossover interest. Stroll's debut comes as a surprise entry during the F1 calendar break, highlighting his commitment beyond his Aston Martin F1 role.