Stroll to make GT racing debut in April alongside ex-F1 driver at Paul Ricard

Aston Martin F1 driver Lance Stroll will take on the opening round of the 2026 GT World Challenge Europe season later this month, making the most of a gap in the F1 calendar.

Given the ongoing situation in the Middle East region, the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix will not take place in April – leading to a five-week window between races.

On the weekend that the Bahrain Grand Prix was due to be held, from April 11-12, Stroll will instead get behind the wheel of an Aston Martin Vantage GT3 at Paul Ricard.

Stroll is set to share the car – run by Comtoyou Racing – with former Manor F1 driver Roberto Merhi and Aston Martin Academy prospect Mari Boya, who currently competes in F2.

It will mark Stroll’s first GT competition, though he has previously tackled the famous 24 Hours of Daytona endurance event on two occasions – finishing fifth back in 2016.

The outing comes amid a challenging period for Stroll and Aston Martin in F1 – the Canadian having failed to reach the chequered flag or be classified in all three Grands Prix so far, not including the China Sprint.

Stroll is not the only F1 driver planning to compete in GT machinery over the next few months, with Red Bull’s Max Verstappen recently confirming that he will make his Nurburgring 24 Hours debut in May.