F1 news: Lance Stroll withdraws from Spanish Grand Prix due to injury

Lance Stroll has withdrawn from the Formula 1 Spanish Grand Prix, after qualifying 14th.

The Aston Martin driver advanced into Q2, but could not find a spot in Q3. Following the qualifying session, Stroll remained in the garage for five minutes and did not immediately report to the FIA Technical Delegate to be weighed, per FIA regulations.

In a Technical Delegate Report from Jo Bauer, the FIA Formula 1 Technical Delegate, Bauer noted in part: “Firstly the driver stayed 5 minutes in the teams garage before proceeding to the scales and secondly he did not proceed through the pit-lane.”

According to a post from the team on social media, the driver is dealing with recurring hand and wrist pain “which his medical consultant believes is in relation to the procedure he underwent in 2023.”

Stroll underwent surgery ahead of the 2023 season for a fracture and displacement in his right wrist, a fracture in his left wrist, a partial fracture in his left hand, and a fracture in the big toe on his right foot. The Aston Martin driver suffered those injuries while cycling ahead of the season.

The injury and subsequent surgery prevented Stroll from participating in pre-season testing, but he climbed into the AMR23 for the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix. Despite still dealing with pain, he finished sixth in that race.

As noted by the team in the statement on social media, Stroll will “undergo a procedure to rectify these issues before focusing on his recovery.”

This calls into question his status not just for Sunday’s Spanish Grand Prix, but perhaps other races this season.

Aston Martin reserve driver Felipe Drugovich cannot replace Stroll at the Spanish Grand Prix, as he did not participate in the qualifying session on Saturday.