Aston Martin Faces Uncertainty Over Stroll's Canadian GP Participation Amid Injury Concern

Aston Martin is facing uncertainty regarding Lance Stroll's participation in his home Canadian Grand Prix following his withdrawal from the recent Spanish Grand Prix due to injury complications. Stroll unexpectedly pulled out of the Barcelona race just hours after qualifying, citing pain in his hand and wrist. This issue is understood to be related to a procedure he underwent after fracturing both wrists and breaking a toe in a cycling accident ahead of the 2023 season. Despite missing pre-season testing that year, Stroll recovered to start the opening race. However, the problem has now resurfaced, necessitating a further medical procedure. Aston Martin has stated it will not provide ongoing updates on Stroll's medical status, leaving questions hanging over his readiness for the Montreal event, which is just over a week away. Team management's primary plan remains to have Stroll in the car for his home race. However, contingency plans are being considered should Stroll be unable to compete. Aston Martin has reserve drivers Stoffel Vandoorne and Felipe Drugovich on its books. Both are currently slated to compete in the Le Mans 24 Hours race, which clashes with the Canadian Grand Prix weekend. While Vandoorne is reportedly committed to his WEC drive, Drugovich has indicated that Formula 1 remains his priority, suggesting he would be willing to forgo Le Mans for an F1 debut if needed. Cadillac, with whom Drugovich is scheduled to race at Le Mans, has not commented on the situation. Should neither reserve driver be available or suitable – potentially due to commitments or superlicence requirements – Aston Martin may need to look elsewhere. The team's junior drivers like F2 racer Jak Crawford and F1 Academy competitor Tina Hausmann are not believed to hold the necessary FIA superlicence for an F1 race start. In such a scenario, teams sometimes turn to reserve drivers from fellow competitors, particularly those sharing engine suppliers. As a Mercedes-powered team, Aston Martin could potentially call upon Mercedes reserves. While Frederik Vesti is also scheduled to race at Le Mans, ten-time Grand Prix winner Valtteri Bottas is another potential option. Bottas, who last raced for Sauber in 2024, recently expressed his desire to return to F1 and possesses extensive experience, making him a plausible stand-in if required.