The Canadian driver Lance Stroll is spending his forth season in Formula 1 championship. In difficult season-2020 Lance got a podium at the Italian Grand Prix and also earned 57 points what guaranteed him 11th position currently.

During the career Lance has often face criticism that his father Lawrence Stroll played too big role in his work, in particular, from the financial side. Also this criticism has intensified two years ago when Lawrence bought the Racing Point team, where his son move to.

However the Mercedes boss Toto Wolff took side of the driver, saying that Lance fully justified his place on the F1 grid.

"Name me one driver this season that is not there on merit," said Wolff.

"Let's look at Lance. And I'm not biased here, because I agree it should be a meritocracy.

"He won the Italian F4 championship, won the international F3 championship, has been on the podium twice, and has qualified for the first row in Monza in the rain.

"I don't think we can say just because his father is a billionaire that he's not here on merit.

"I think he's actually suffering from the stigma that is just not right. He can't do anything for his father being very successful in his own right.

"It's even more impressive that a kid with that environment chooses the most competitive or one of the most competitive sports in the world. Honestly, there is no discussion."

Stroll is not the only driver who uses financial assistance to compete in the championship from their fathers. The Williams driver Nicholas Latifi has risen through the ranks with support from his father Michael Latifi.

The Russian driver Nikita Mazepin who currently performs in F2 championship has been linked with a seat at Haas for 2021, bringing finance from his family’s business.

Toto Wolff also noticed the results of both Latifi and Mazepin, who have won races in F2. The Mercedes chief also said there are fewer pay drivers in the championship now compared to previous eras.

"Nicholas won races in F2, and we haven't seen what he's capable of, it's his first season," Wolff said.

"But he's not somebody when you look at the years 10 years ago, I don't even remember the guys, that have arrived in F1 without having even won a single race in a competitive junior series.

"About next year, let's not discredit Nikita before having seen him. I think Nikita has been a regular front-runner now in the F2 season. I think he won some races, or at least he was competing for some of the race wins.

"I think we're in the best possible state. We had much more drivers who came in only because they paid five or six years ago.

"But maybe I have a wrong recollection. I don't want to name anybody, but you know who I mean."