Lance Stroll will race at the Formula 1 season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix, Aston Martin confirmed on Thursday.
The Canadian missed the three-day test in the Middle East last week through injury, revealing exactly what happened after his return for this weekend was announced.
“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,” he said.
“Since then, I’ve been working hard with my team to ensure that I am fully fit to compete this weekend.”
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The accident though means Stroll goes into the opening race with very little running in the 2023 Aston Martin, with a few laps during a shakedown at Silverstone his only time on track.
“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,” Lance added.
“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.”
He added: “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.”
Good to see you back, @lance_stroll. 💚#BahrainGP pic.twitter.com/JR0eW4UkKw
— Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant F1 Team (@AstonMartinF1) March 2, 2023
Stroll appears to be stepping into one of the fastest cars on the grid if testing is to be believed, with teammate Fernando Alonso many people's pick for a podium in Bahrain.
If Aston Martin does show that level of competitiveness, it will be imperative Lance gets up to speed as quickly as possible.
