I dont quite get why people are so surprised by this. Stroll is a much better racer than qualifier. Hulk and Ocon were better qualifiers than racers. Is it really so far-fetched to assume that Stroll could be around that level in race pace?
No, what seems total bullshit is the implied assumption in Perez's talk, that he had it easy with Hulk and Ocon and had them both completely in control on the Sundays.
He definitely did comparatively better against them in Sundays than Saturdays, yes, but it wasn't easy
at all. Often ended up ahead in points due to some wacky SC race or alternate strategy, rather than having a constant 3 tenths in the pocket which is what it sounds like he's saying he had.
Now Stroll is in the position he often used to be in : qualifies a couple places back, gets the alternate strategy out of sync with everyone else, free choice of tyres, occasionally lucks into a free track. "Race pace genius compared to Ocon and Hulk" my arse, sure Stroll is competent and not a total mug, but this is all so dependent on the circumstances you're racing in, isn't it?
Edited by noikeee, 30 March 2019 - 01:03.