Paddock ‘rumours’ now suggest Aston Martin are preparing ‘excuse’ to drop Lance Stroll for £47m-a-year F1 driver

The short-term future of Aston Martin driver Lance Stroll has been called into question after he withdrew from the Spanish Grand Prix.

Lance Stroll qualified 14th for the Spanish Grand Prix before pulling out of the race due to a recurrence of a wrist injury.

It meant Fernando Alonso was responsible for Aston Martin’s efforts to score points at the Circuit de Catalunya and he finally delivered.

After months of bad luck, the Spaniard secured P9 despite an excursion into the gravel at one point during the race.

Aston Martin are now preparing for the Canadian Grand Prix but it’s yet to be seen whether Stroll will be available for the race.

Felipe Drugovich would step up to replace Stroll despite his current Le Mans commitments.

Valtteri Bottas has also made himself available to Aston Martin despite being Mercedes’ reserve driver, but there are now question marks over the Canadian’s long-term future with the team.

Aston Martin are big fans of Max Verstappen and may now be preparing for Lance Stroll to make way at the end of the year to open up a seat for the 27-year-old.

READ MORE: Aston Martin driver Lance Stroll’s life outside F1 from net worth to girlfriend

Aston Martin preparing Lance Stroll ‘excuse’ to make way for potential Max Verstappen signing

Journalist Ian Parkes was in the paddock at the Spanish Grand Prix and speaking on the RacingNews365 Podcast in the aftermath of the race.

Max Verstappen was at the centre of plenty of controversy in Barcelona and eventually finished 10th behind Alonso.

Parkes was then reflecting on the £1.6bn-valued F1 team’s decision to withdraw Stroll and explained: “I’ve heard that certain people inside Aston Martin, this was the first they knew about this growing recurrence of pain inside Lance’s right wrist.

“And I’ve also heard speculation and rumours that this is the first step towards a glide path of Lance leaving Formula 1 at the end of the season.

“That it is going to be the excuse that could possibly be used for him to part ways.

“And rather than just say, axing him at the end of the season, bearing in mind he does have one more year on his contract, he’s not had the rolling [contract] that he has had in the past. They actually signed him on this occasion up to a two-year deal for this season and next.

“But on this occasion, the suggestion is the penny is now finally starting to drop.

“And if Aston Martin does want to be a serious title contender for both, not just the drivers’, but the constructors’ [championship], primarily for them as a serious manufacturer, then it needs somebody else in that car alongside Fernando Alonso.

“And what better driver to have in that second car alongside Fernando Alonso than Max Verstappen.”

READ MORE: Red Bull driver Max Verstappen’s life outside F1 from net worth to girlfriend

What is Max Verstappen’s contract situation at Red Bull?

Lawrence Stroll has previously suggested he’ll do anything to sign Verstappen, but moving his son on to make way for the four-time world champion won’t be an easy decision.

However, he would be signing a driver who has nearly as many Grand Prix wins (65) as Stroll has Q1 exits (77) and would be pitting the Dutchman up against the legendary Fernando Alonso.