Yael Shelbia Says Her Relationship with Lance Stroll Feels Right

Yael Shelbia said in a new interview that she is officially back together with Formula 1 driver Lance Stroll, after the pair reunited for the fourth time. Speaking to mako Celebs at an APRIL network event, her first media appearance since she imposed a blanket ban on questions about her ex, Shelbia said, “It was a crazy year, I learned a lot about myself and went through huge personal processes, and right now I am at my peak, thank God.”

Asked directly whether she is in a relationship, the 24-year-old answered, “Of course. Do I need to say it officially? Yes, relationship, thank God.” She said Stroll was “100 out of 100 from the start,” but that she needed time to open her heart because she was afraid of the pressures around him, including his constant travel, global fame, and public profile. “But when it is right, it just happens,” she said.

Shelbia described the relationship as something she had to ease into, saying that after they took time apart, her defenses gradually came down and “the love came.” She added that she had also been worried about the logistical and emotional strain of dating a Formula 1 driver, but said she has not yet reached the stage of worrying because she does not want to.

She also addressed the attention around Stroll’s Jewish identity, saying his mother is Christian but, “yes, he is Jewish.” She said she had not planned the Instagram post that showed him wrapped in a tallit from his bar mitzvah, explaining they were watching his bar mitzvah video on vacation when she added it to a dump post. She said faith and Judaism are very important to her, and that the relationship is serious, even though they are taking it slowly and still dealing with distance by traveling back and forth. She said she will always stay in Israel and, when asked about the future, said she wants something real and lasting, adding, “In God’s help, slowly, that will come too.”