Guenther Steiner believes that Lance Stroll is ‘above the rules’, describing the Canadian racer as ‘invisible’ in the F1 paddock. The Aston Martin driver has been with the Silverstone-based team since 2019, although his contract details are often shrouded in mystery.

Given his father Lawrence Stroll’s status as team owner, Stroll’s position has never really been in doubt, and his quiet approach to media duties means that he often flies under the radar during race weekends.

In recent seasons with competition for places on the grid at an all-time high, Stroll’s seat has been the subject of intense debate, although the success of his impressive 2020 campaign, combined with fleeting impressive drives over the four years since has created an argument for him staying in the series.

“I don’t think he’s a bad race car driver. I don’t know what it is”, Steiner explained on the Red Flag podcast. “Obviously, we all know that he doesn’t need to drive a race car. He alright [financially], so maybe that’s what it is.

“If the car is not [good enough] to [reach] the podium or something, he’s just like: ‘Yeah, I just get by. Who cares? I wait until next year’s car comes and see if that is better.’ I don’t know.

“I don’t know the guy, never spoke with him, so I have no idea. But he’s one of these guys who is rarely spoken about when he’s in the points. It’s less spoken about when he’s not in the points.

“He’s just there. If you wouldn’t have brought him up, I wouldn’t have even known that he raced last weekend. I need to go and check the stats because he’s just non-visible. He was never young, he will never be old. He will just be there. He’s above the rules.”

Aston Martin team principal Mike Krack has always been quick to defend the 25-year-old, citing his “key” impact and role behind the scenes. “He has played a key role in building this team,” he said earlier this season.

“His technical feedback, alongside his committed simulator work, has helped contribute to the continuous development of the car each season. The consistency and stability of both Lance and Fernando remaining with our team is a great platform to continue to realise our ambitions. We look forward to creating some more incredible memories and achieving further success together."