Lance Stroll is fit and able to compete in the 2023 F1 season-opener Bahrain GP, Aston Martin have confirmed.
Stroll was forced to sit out pre-season testing at the Bahrain International Circuit after he injured his wrist in a cycling accident just a few days before the sessions.
However, in a statement the Canadian driver said he will be fit and ready to compete in Bahrain after having surgery on the injured right wrist.
“It was frustrating not to be out in Bahrain for the pre-season test and I was disappointed to miss the three days of running,” he said.
“However, given the injury to my wrist, the team and I felt it was best to focus on recovery so that I would be ready for this weekend and the long season ahead.
“It was an unfortunate accident – I fell from my bike when my tyre caught a hole in the ground – but thankfully the damage was not significant and a successful minor surgery on my right wrist fixed the problem very quickly. Since then, I’ve been working hard with my team to ensure that I am fully fit to compete this weekend.
“I would like to thank the F1 community for their support and privacy, as well as the team who have helped my recovery. Now I’m ready to get my head down and concentrate on racing this weekend – something I’m really looking forward to.”
Ready to race
The injury to Stroll meant that the team’s reserve driver Felipe Drugovich was drafted in as a replacement for testing, and the Brazilian was in line to make his F1 debut this weekend if Stroll failed to recover.
While that will no longer be the case, Aston Martin added that both Drugovich and fellow reserve Stoffel Vandoorne would remain on site for the race weekend.
Aston Martin are looking to make a big step up for 2023 after an underwhelming 2022 season.
With Fernando Alonso drafted in as a shock replacement for the retiring Sebastian Vettel, the team looked extremely competitive during testing, and could be in the running to challenge the top teams for the first time under the ownership of Lawrence Stroll.
