Aston Martin clarifies Lance Stroll's participation in the Canadian GP
Lance Stroll was forced to sit out the Spanish Grand Prix after Aston Martin revealed that his wrist injury had worsened, preventing him from starting on the Barcelona-Catalunya circuit.
The team had indicated that Stroll was suffering from hand and wrist pain, pain related to his bicycle accident during the preparation for the 2023 season.
Read also:Aston Martin confirms the return of Lance Stroll for the Canadian Grand Prix
Lance Stroll returns for his home GP
However, Lance Stroll will indeed be back behind the wheel of the AMR25 this weekend, at the Gilles-Villeneuve circuit.
In a statement, Aston Martin said: « We are pleased to confirm that Lance Stroll will be back with the team to participate in Montreal this weekend. He successfully underwent a medical procedure to treat the symptoms he was experiencing and completed a few laps in an old F1 car at the Paul Ricard circuit earlier this week. Lance feels fit and healthy, and he is eager to race in front of his home crowd. »
Lance Stroll added: « I am very excited to get back behind the wheel with the team for my home Grand Prix this weekend. I've given it my all to be ready to race in front of the fans in Montreal. I feel good after the procedure, and I was able to do some laps at Paul Ricard this week to prepare. Thank you all for your support, see you soon at the track! »
An absence that raises questions
The absence of the Canadian in Barcelona had raised questions. On the day of the race, the BBC reported that he might have damaged equipment in the Aston Martin garage and hurled insults towards some team members following a disappointing session.
This version was denied on social media by one of Lance Stroll's mechanics, Harry Rush, who wrote on Instagram: « He supposedly insulted team members? That's completely false. »
The case took a new turn when Sky F1 commentator, David Croft, suggested that the Aston Martin driver had thrown one of his helmets into the Aston Martin garage.
David Croft stated on the Sky F1 podcast: « From what I understand, a helmet was thrown with such force against a wall that it might have been damaged. There was also a lot of shouting and swearing. Lance has had a history of this kind of behavior, like punching partitions, which doesn't really hurt him. This isn't the first time I've heard about these kinds of things during his time at Aston Martin. »
Lance Stroll's return means that reserve driver Felipe Drugovich can participate in the 24 Hours of Le Mans this weekend. However, if the driver's health were to deteriorate during the Canadian weekend, Aston Martin will have the option to call upon Valtteri Bottas, who is available as a reserve driver for all Mercedes-powered teams.
