Lance Stroll could be a surprise protagonist in this year's F1 'silly season'.

The specialist Italiaracing publication is reporting that the Williams driver's father, billionaire fashion mogul Lawrence Stroll, is being linked with Force India.

Force India, whose co-owners Vijay Mallya and Subrata Roy are both tackling serious legal issues, is considering dropping the 'India' from its name for 2018.

Boss Mallya hopes the move will attract more investment, with the impressive independent team hitting the limits of its performance against better funded teams.

"With a little bit more in our pocket we can make that incremental step and certainly fight in the top three consistently," he said.

It is possible that Stroll buying into Force India would mean a move to the Silverstone based team for his son, the 18-year-old Canadian rookie Lance Stroll.

F1 CEO Chase Carey said one of his favourite moments of 2017 so far was when Stroll achieved his first podium finish in Baku.

"In sport, it's a great story when an underdog suddenly has success," he told Auto Bild.

"Stroll had to listen to all that criticism for months, and everything about his father's money as well, and then he did his reply on the track in Baku. I would like to see more of that," Carey added.

(GMM)