Stroll addresses Tennis switch rumours: ‘Better work on my backhand’

A change of career for the Aston Martin driver was mooted by respected F1 journalist Ben Anderson on a recent podcast, while Sky Sports commentator David Croft has also talked about the possibility of Stroll considering taking up Tennis.

The speculation comes amid a challenging 2023 season for Stroll, who is 102 points behind teammate Fernando Alonso in the championship standings. 

“Well, if I'm going to go on tour, I’d better work on my backhand a little bit, because I don't think I'm quite at that level yet,” Stroll said when asked about the rumours at the Dutch Grand Prix. 

“I mean, I like to think I'm pretty good. But I don't know if I'm ready to go up against [Novak] Djokovic and [Carlos] Alcaraz just yet.

“It was like Crofty or someone who came up with that. He was having a few beers on the couch [at the] beginning of August, thinking about my tennis game. I don't know!

“Gotta ask him. That was an odd one. I don't know where he came up with that one. It was very creative. But, yeah, I haven't really thought about it, picking up tennis as a career.”

Stroll stressed that he has no plans to stop racing any time soon. 

“One day we're all going to wake up and make that decision, I think every driver on this grid," he said. 

"But right now I'm thinking about the race tomorrow. For sure I want to keep racing. It's what I love to do.”

Stroll lines up from 11th on the grid for Sunday’s race at Zandvoort, six positions behind Alonso, who goes from fifth.