Williams Formula 1 rookie Lance Stroll is relishing the opportunity to race alongside veteran racer Felipe Massa in 2017, with whom he expects to enjoy an issue-free partnership.
Stroll, 18, will step up to F1 with Williams this year after winning the FIA European Formula 3 title in 2016 and enjoying an extensive private test programme with the team.
Speaking in a video posted on Williams' Twitter account, Stroll said that he will look up to Massa as a mentor through his debut campaign, with the Brazilian set to embark on his 15th F1 season in 2017.
"I am really am looking forward to Felipe to being a mentor to me. Of course we're competitors and we want to beat each other, but at the same time I think he has a lot of respect as a driver," Stroll said.
"We all know that he's very well respected throughout the paddock and he's a nice guy, and he's a team player. That's really all you ask for being in a team.
"You want someone who's a team player that will help the team go forward and not kind of create a problem on both sides of the garage."
Stroll said that while a competitive rivalry between team-mates is healthy, it would be important to cultivate a good working relationship with Massa to help push the team on.
"I think it's really important to have two drivers who want to push the team in the right direction rather than fighting," Stroll said.
"It's good to have that competitiveness in the team and that urge to want to beat the driver next to you, but at the same time I think we're gonna respect each other.
"We're gonna want the best for the team. We're gonna help the team in the best way possible."
Stroll will make his first official on-track appearance for Williams during pre-season testing, which gets underway on February 27 at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.
