Stroll regrets attempting to run whole Grand Prix on one set of tyres

Lance Stroll admits it was a terrible idea to try and complete the Grand Prix using just one set of tyres after the first lap safety car. The Williams blew its tyres two laps from the flag which caused Stroll to retire. 

When the safety car came out in the opening stages of the Grand Prix, Stroll pitted to put on the soft tyres. The Canadian was one of five drivers to retire in the first French Grand Prix for 10 years. 

“At the beginning, the pace wasn’t too bad, and I had a good start,” he said in an interview on PlanetF1. 

“With about 20 laps to go I felt a massive vibration on the car, and it was just big wear on the front-left tyre.

“I had a flat spot on that tyre and then with Vandoorne when he overtook me it was already so bad that I couldn’t turn right, as I had no support on the left tyre. Then with a few laps to go the vibration was so bad the tyre just blew, and that was it.”

Team-mate Sergey Sirotkin was last of the finishers giving Williams another disappointing weekend despite receiving a new spec engine from Mercedes.