Lance Stroll ruled OUT of the Spanish Grand Prix

Aston Martin have confirmed that Lance Stroll will not race in Sunday’s Spanish Grand Prix due to medical concerns.

Stroll struggled during qualifying placing only 14th, while team-mate Fernando Alonso reached the top 10 at the Circuit de Catalunya.

A team statement from Aston Martin read: “Over the course of the past six weeks Lance has been experiencing pain in his hand and wrist, which his medical consultant believes is in relation to the procedure he underwent in 2023.

“As a result his medical team have confirmed that he will not race tomorrow and he will undergo a procedure to rectify these issues before focusing on his recovery.”

Stroll had fractured both wrists in a cycling accident on the eve of the 2023 season, however he battled back quickly to still take place for the first round in Bahrain.

Given Stroll’s withdrawal from the race has come after qualifying, Aston Martin will not be able to replace him meaning the grid will line up with just 19 cars on Sunday.
Felipe Drugovich could replace Stroll if he doesn’t return in Canada

How long is Lance Stroll out of F1 action for?

While Stroll will be absent in Spain it remains unclear when he is likely to return but should he not be cleared to race his home event at the Canadian Grand Prix on June 15, then it is likely that Aston Martin will call upon reserve driver Felipe Drugovich as his most likely replacement.

First signs of Stroll’s struggles were evident on Saturday following the end of Q2, when the Canadian spent an unusual five minutes in the team garage, delaying his otherwise standard and mandatory immediate duties to be weighed by the FIA after the session.

After being summoned to the FIA over the incident no decision was forthcoming before the summons was delayed due to unforeseen circumstances due to Stroll’s injury concerns.