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Targeting F1 points ASAP the wrong approach - Stroll

Williams Formula 1 driver Lance Stroll believes that targeting his first points at the earliest opportunity is the wrong approach as he looks to find his feet during his rookie season.

Stroll, 18, stepped up to F1 for 2017 after winning the FIA Formula 3 title last year and having also enjoyed an extensive private testing programme to make him the best-prepared rookie since Lewis Hamilton in 2007.

The Canadian has failed to score any points through his first six races in F1, recording a best finish of 11th in Russia, but feels there are more pressing things to target than simply breaking into the top 10.

"I do have my targets in terms of what I need to improve on. In terms of position, not really," Stroll said.

"Like I don't look at Canada and say I need to finish in the points because that would be the wrong approach. I look at Canada and say what are my weaknesses then look to improve in those areas. Then hopefully points will come.

"That is the way I work, not by setting an objective on the final outcome but focus on the steps and tasks to get to that final outcome. That is the way I've worked my entire career.

"I had no expectations as I knew it was going to be very challenging and I didn't put a target in my head, like by race five I'll be this good.

"I didn't look at it that way. I just came into it and had the mindset to take it race by race and see how it goes."

Stroll added that the team is happy to bear with him, recognising that their partnership is longer-term than just the upcoming race.

"I'm 18 years old and it is a challenging year in F1," Stroll said. "I think the team looks at it as a bigger project than just the next race. I think that is the only way to look at it. If we just focused on outcome and what we did I don't think we'd maximise each task we're trying to work on.

"We've got to look at the bigger picture. Of course we go to Montreal to work as hard as we can and do the best we can, the same way we go everything, but I think if we always think we need to score points we start forgetting about the stuff we have to do to get there.

"I think the right way to work is by focusing on each task at hand and then move forward."

Zdroj: crash.net