Lance Stroll's Injury Puts Canadian GP in Doubt, Reserve Driver Drugovich Ready to Step In

Aston Martin driver Lance Stroll faces uncertainty regarding his participation in his home Canadian Grand Prix as he continues to recover from a wrist injury that forced his withdrawal from the recent Spanish Grand Prix. The development has put reserve driver Felipe Drugovich on alert for a potential Formula 1 debut, despite a conflicting commitment with the prestigious Le Mans 24 Hours race. Stroll, who broke his wrist in a cycling accident before the 2023 season, experienced renewed pain leading up to the Spanish GP. While he participated in qualifying, he ultimately withdrew from the race citing discomfort. Due to the timing of his withdrawal after qualifying, Formula 1 regulations prevented Aston Martin from fielding a replacement driver in Barcelona, leaving Fernando Alonso as the sole team representative. The exact recovery timeline for Stroll following a procedure to address the issue remains unclear, casting doubt on his fitness for the Canadian GP scheduled for June 13-15. The timing of the Montreal race coincides directly with the Le Mans 24 Hours. Felipe Drugovich, the team's primary reserve driver and the 2022 Formula 2 champion, is scheduled to compete at Le Mans for Cadillac during the same weekend. However, the Brazilian driver has publicly stated that his priority has always been Formula 1, indicating a willingness to forego his sportscar commitment should the opportunity arise to race for Aston Martin in Canada. Aston Martin's other reserve option, Stoffel Vandoorne, also faces a clash with Le Mans, where he is set to race in the Hypercar class for Peugeot. Development driver Jak Crawford is not believed to currently hold the necessary FIA superlicence for an F1 race debut. While loaning a driver from an engine partner like Mercedes (potentially Valtteri Bottas) is theoretically possible and wouldn't conflict with Canada, it remains a less likely scenario given Aston Martin's contracted reserve pool. As the Canadian Grand Prix approaches, all eyes will be on Stroll's recovery progress. Should he be unable to compete, Aston Martin will need to make a decision on his replacement, potentially paving the way for Drugovich to make his anticipated Formula 1 debut, prioritizing the pinnacle of motorsport over his endurance racing plans.