Stroll’s return raises more questions than answers in Montreal

As Lance Stroll prepares to race in front of his home crowd at the Canadian Grand Prix, the story surrounding his surprise withdrawal from the previous round in Spain – and his rapid return – remains shrouded in mystery.

While the Aston Martin driver insists he is fit and pain-free, both his comments and those of team boss Andy Cowell have only deepened the intrigue surrounding what exactly went wrong, and how it was resolved so quickly.

Stroll pulled out of the Spanish Grand Prix after qualifying 14th, with Aston Martin citing pain in his right hand and wrist – a recurrence of the injury he sustained in early 2023 that required surgery by MotoGP specialist Dr. Xavier Mir.

A second procedure was reportedly performed earlier in Barcelona in the wake of his withdrawal from the Spanish Grand Prix, yet specifics remain elusive.

A Guarded Recovery

On Thursday in Montreal, Stroll was asked several times about the nature of the injury, its timing, and the recovery process – but was unwilling to provide much clarity.

“It was bothering me for a few weeks,” Stroll said. “Imola, Monaco, then Barcelona was really brutal throughout the weekend. I drove this week and was feeling pretty good.”

But when pressed for more detail, Stroll held his ground on maintaining privacy.

“I don’t want to get into detail about what I had to do and how I had to do it, because it’s just my medical privacy,” he stated firmly.

Despite the guarded responses, he confirmed he was no longer in pain, adding, “I drove this week and was feeling pretty good.”

Stroll tested a 2023 Aston Martin at Paul Ricard and was cleared by his medical team to race in Montreal, but the speed of his recovery has left observers puzzled. How could an injury severe enough to force a mid-event withdrawal be resolved so quickly?

Aston Martin team principal Andy Cowell offered little to clarify the situation. When pressed on why the injury wasn’t addressed sooner if it could be resolved in time for Montreal, he deflected: “We have to respect everybody’s medical privacy in situations like that.”

His response did little to quell the growing curiosity - and disbelief - about the timeline and severity of Stroll’s condition.

Frustration in Barcelona

After Barcelona, the plot thickened with reports of Stroll’s frustration in the garage after qualifying in Spain, where he was said to have lost his temper with team members.

When asked about the incident, Stroll admitted, “Yeah, I was frustrated for sure. Frustrated about my wrist and the last three races from Imola and it was just inhibiting my driving. I knew the Sunday was going to be tricky, probably impossible, and at that point I was just pretty frustrated about it.”

Cowell, however, sidestepped direct questions about the episode, emphasizing Stroll’s competitive nature.

“We have to respect the fact that all the drivers are ultra-competitive and elite athletes. And the competitive nature means that they want to drive, they want to be in the race. Nobody wants to miss a race.

“But when, for medical reasons, things get too much, then you’ve got to stop. And that was the situation on Saturday in Barcelona.”

Determination to Race at Home

Despite the unanswered questions, Stroll’s determination to race in front of his home crowd in Montreal was evident, although the Canadian expressed it with the joy of someone ticking off a necessary chore rather than relishing a long-awaited return.

“As an athlete in any sport, I think you’re always trying to push through pain, discomfort as much as you can to try to get a good result at the end of the weekend,” he explained.

“In that situation I was struggling and I was trying to push through it but it just didn’t feel sensible to push anymore. It felt like the damage was getting worse and I needed to do something more serious about it.”

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Cowell praised Stroll’s resolve, noting, “Lance is a determined racer. He was the most upset that he wasn’t driving Sunday in Barcelona, and has been the most determined person in the whole team to make sure that he’s here this weekend.”

Stroll’s efforts included simulator work on the 2025 car and visits to the factory, which Cowell deemed “more relevant” than the Paul Ricard test.

A Hometown Hope Amid Mystery

Stroll expressed enthusiasm for racing in Montreal, saying: “I’m feeling a lot better. I’m looking forward to the race weekend.

“Being here in Montreal is always special. Good memories of coming here racing every year. Good results over the years, points-scoring results. I just love coming back here and racing in front of the home crowd and looking forward to the weekend.”

Yet, as the 26-year-old prepares to take to the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, the paddock remains in the dark about the full story behind his injury and recovery.

For now, many questions remain unanswered – likely deliberately so. But as the lights go out in Montreal, the spotlight remains firmly on Lance Stroll, not just for his racing, but for what he’s not saying.

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