GETTY Lance Stroll cannot act like Max Verstappen, according to Jacques Villeneuve

Jacques Villeneuve also made his first appearance in F1 with Williams, finishing second in 1996, before winning his only F1 World Drivers' Championship title the following year. However, the Canadian racing legend has warned rookie Stroll that Verstappen, already a star of the paddock having arrived as a 17-year-old in 2015, can get away with things others cannot. "In your first year, you need to be strong - there is no other way - but you also have to show respect," Villeneuve told Express Sport, speaking at Autosport International.

GETTY Lance Stroll will race for Williams in 2017

"If you don't have that from the start, you'll never get it back. "Any damage you do at the beginning will stick for the rest of your career. "People will pounce on him - if he's not quick, he makes a dirty move or a mistake that puts him into one of the favourites, then that will stay with him.

"The difference with Max Verstappen, who came in very young as well, is he had Red Bull behind him who want that kind of bad-boy image. "He's the only one who could have a free pass with his actions. No other drivers will get that. "Verstappen is very lucky to be allowed to do everything because other drivers would be criticised."

GETTY Max Verstappen is already one of the fastest drivers on the grid

Like Verstappen, whose father Jos raced 106 times in F1, Stroll has motor oil in his blood. Lawrence Stroll is the 722nd richest man in the world, owns a race-track near Quebec and has previously been courted by F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone about buying a substantial share in the sport. Stroll turned Ecclestone down but he invested heavily in his son's career as a racing driver.

Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg F1 2016 World Championship in pictures Sun, November 27, 2016 Click through the gallery for some of the best snaps of Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg from the F1 2016 World Championship Play slideshow Getty Images 1 of 13 Click through the gallery for some of the best snaps of Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg from the F1 2016 World Championship