After missing the Spanish Grand Prix, where he participated up to qualifying, Lance Stroll has undergone surgery on his hand following a resurgence of pain from his early 2023 injury. The Canadian driver will now rest while recovery time is assessed: Plan A remains having him back for Canada, but a Plan B is also ready.
After skipping the Spanish Grand Prix, Lance Stroll underwent surgery on his right hand due to a flare-up of the pain linked to the injury he suffered at the start of 2023. At that time, the Canadian had to forgo winter testing and compete in the first races of the season using special supports, following the insertion of screws into his wrist.
In recent months, however, the pain returned with increasing intensity, eventually forcing him to stop and undergo a new operation in hopes of resolving the issue permanently. As confirmed in an official statement from Aston Martin, the procedure was successfully completed and the driver is now resting, awaiting rehabilitation ahead of his return to the track.
However, no details have been provided about his recovery time, nor are any expected in the short term. The plan remains to have Stroll back in the car for his home Grand Prix, scheduled for next week in Montréal.
“I’m not a doctor, so it’s hard to make predictions or say anything for certain,” explained Mike Krack, team principal of Aston Martin. “The decision isn’t up to me: we’re waiting for the next tests and check-ups, then we’ll see how the situation develops.”
Should Stroll not be ready, the team already has a “Plan B”: Felipe Drugovich, the team’s reserve driver, is prepared to give up competing in the 24 Hours of Le Mans with Cadillac in order to seize the opportunity to race in Formula 1 again — potentially his last real chance at breaking into the top open-wheel category.
“Plan A is to have Lance in the car, and we’re working in that direction,” Krack reiterated. “Alternatively, we’ll go with Plan B. We’ve known from the start that Le Mans would be held the same weekend, so we’ve also considered other options, currently under evaluation. If it becomes necessary to pull a driver from Le Mans, we’ll do it. But for now, that’s not our issue.”
The team’s other reserve driver, Stoffel Vandoorne, will also be busy at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, as part of Peugeot’s official program.
It’s also worth noting that Drugovich may be involved in the Formula E weekend in Berlin next month. The Brazilian already has some experience with electric cars and is considered an interesting talent by several teams, including Mahindra, which might need to replace a driver due to the overlap between the Formula E and WEC events on the same weekend.
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