Stroll opens up on wrist injury and Ricard test ahead of home race

Lance Stroll has opened up about the wrist and hand injury that forced him to miss the Spanish Grand Prix, as the Aston Martin driver prepares for his F1 return at his home race in Montreal this weekend.

The Canadian driver withdrew from the Barcelona race on the eve of the event at the Circuit de Catalunya, following increasing discomfort in a wrist that had already endured a major setback back in 2023.

Stroll had previously suffered fractures and a broken toe during a pre-season cycling accident that year, requiring immediate surgery but allowing him to compete throughout the campaign.

However, the issue resurfaced in recent weeks, with Stroll confirming that he had been struggling long before Spain.

“I started to feel some pain in my wrist and hand a couple of months ago, but I wanted to keep racing,” he said.

“However, the discomfort just became too much, and we made the decision to have medical intervention. Naturally, I was disappointed to miss the race in Barcelona but it was the right call at the time, and I’m looking forward to getting back to racing this weekend… [The wrist’s] feeling good.”

Back on Track: Private Test at Paul Ricard

In a bid to ensure full race fitness ahead of the Canadian Grand Prix, Stroll conducted a private test session at the Circuit Paul Ricard. The session allowed him to assess his wrist under race-like conditions before committing to a competitive return.

“I got some laps in at Circuit Paul Ricard in the south of France before heading to Canada, so I've been back behind the wheel before the race weekend begins, which is really beneficial,” he explained.

“I felt good in the cockpit so now my full focus is on this weekend.”

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Looking ahead to the Canadian Grand Prix – where he has always received overwhelming fan support – the 25-year-old expressed both excitement and determination.

“I'm really looking forward to racing in front of my home crowd in Montreal,” he added. “Come rain or shine, the fans are loud and passionate for our sport in Canada and the support they give me as a local driver really does mean a lot. Hopefully we can fight for some more points this weekend.”

Stroll has carried the bulk of Aston Martin’s 2025 campaign so far, scoring 14 of the team’s 16 points, including a strong sixth-place finish in the season opener in Australia.

Aston Martin are currently tied for ninth in the Constructors’ Championship with Kick Sauber.

With his wrist now reportedly healed and confidence restored after the Paul Ricard outing, Stroll will aim to convert that momentum into a strong result in front of his home fans at Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve.

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