Formula 1: Will Lance Stroll drive for Force India in 2019?

Williams Martini Racing driver Lance Stroll has a good chance to drive for Sahara Force India in the 2019 Formula 1 season. Will he do so?

Lance Stroll is currently in his second season in Formula 1 driving for Williams Martini Racing, but the future of the 19-year-old Canadian in the sport beyond the conclusion of the 2018 season is up in the air.

Recent reports suggest that Stroll could end up moving from one Mercedes-powered team to another, as he has been linked with a move to Sahara Force India next year. Will he end up switching teams next season?

Stroll is one of the 18 active Formula 1 drivers who entered the 2018 season with a contract that does not extend beyond the conclusion of this season. Of those 18 drivers, just two have signed contracts since then, and neither one of those drivers is Stroll.

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That driver is not either one of the Force India drivers, Sergio Perez and Esteban Ocon, either, so both seats at the Silverstone-based team are open next season. Stroll has emerged as one of the top contenders to replace either Perez or Ocon in 2019, especially if Williams do not improve, as they currently sit in 10th (last) place in the constructor standings. Force India currently sit in sixth.

Going from Williams to Force India certainly shouldn’t hurt Stroll, and with Force India in need of a cash boost, Stroll would be the right driver to sign, as his billionaire father Lawrence Stroll was and is a huge reason why he drove for Williams last season and this season.

Here is what the 19-year-old had to say about which team he might drive for in the 2019 Formula 1 season, according to Motorsport.com.

"“I would like to see us improve and get to where we want to get to as a team. I also want to do what’s best for me as a driver, so we will come to all the conclusions at the right time and figure out what’s best for the future.“I don’t know yet what I’m doing or where my future is going. I’m still focused on where I am right now, what I’m doing today and we’ll see what the future holds. I’m not going to comment in detail on all that [Force India] kind of stuff, I’m really just focusing on every weekend – where I am right now, the racing. There is plenty going on.“Right now, I think there is a lot of unfinished business in Formula 1. I got to experience some amazing highlights as a rookie last year and some difficult times as well, which I expected coming into my rookie year but all in all a great rookie season.“And this year, I think we are all quite surprised, shocked by the performance of the package and where we are. So I don’t think it’s time to end it on this kind of note.”"

In 30 Formula 1 starts so far in his career, Stroll has done a solid job. He has racked up eight top 10 finishes, including a career-high third place finish in last year’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix. He finished in 12th in last season’s driver standings after recording seven top 10 finishes in the season’s final 14 races.

Just one of Stroll’s eight career top 10 finishes has come this season, as he finished in eighth place in the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. That said, Williams have struggled mightily this season, and that eighth place finish is their only points-paying (top 10) finish so far this season. In fact, Stroll has three top 12 finishes so far this year while his rookie teammate Sergey Sirotkin has a top finish of just 13th in the Austrian Grand Prix.

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Will Lance Stroll drive for Sahara Force India in the 2019 Formula 1 season? If not, will he continue driving for Williams Racing, or will he drive for another team? Will he be out of Formula 1 altogether after just two seasons?

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