Lance Stroll says 2018 was more akin to a “participation season” due to Williams’ position at the rear of the Formula 1 field.
Stroll scored 40 points and took a podium finish in his rookie campaign in 2017 but Williams’ FW41 proved lacklustre, and the team slumped to the back of the pack.
Stroll amassed six of Williams’ seven points courtesy of eighth in Azerbaijan and ninth in Italy, failing to reach the top 10 at any other Grand Prix.
The Canadian will move to Racing Point, formerly Force India, for 2019.
“It’s been very frustrating, but for everyone,” said Stroll.
“We all come to compete, but this year we haven’t really been competing, it’s been more of a participation season rather than a season of competition.
“We’ve had our little highlights along the way. I know they’ve been hard to see for an outsider’s perspective because we’re battling for 12th, 13th, 14th, 15th, if not 19th and 20th every weekend.
“But there’s days when we did pick up a couple of points, in Italy, in Azerbaijan, got into Q2 those times, those were the highlights throughout the year and I’m still proud of those moments.
“I just want to build on that next year.”
Stroll stressed that he has still been able to grow as a driver even in spending 2018 toward the lower end of the field.
“I would say the main thing is just experience,” he said of what he has gained this year.
“I’ve learned so much just with another season under my belt in Formula 1, time with engineers, just knowledge, expanding my knowledge in Formula 1, tyres, racing, qualifying, just with seat time you learn so much.
“And that’s far from done, I just turned 20 years old and I still believe that I’m very far from reaching my full potential.
“So every year I’ll try and keep chipping away at it and over the winter I’ll reflect and work on my weaknesses and build on my strengths.”
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