Aston Martin driver Lance Stroll is in doubt for the Canadian Grand Prix after pulling out of the Spanish GP with a wrist injury.
Aston Martin put the Canadian’s absence in Barcelona down to complications with a wrist injury he sustained back in 2023. However, reports have suggested that Stroll had a meltdown in the garage after qualifying, which caused the injury.
Paddock rumours say Stroll damaged a helmet by launching it at the garage wall. He was knocked out in Q2, while teammate Fernando Alonso made it to Q3 and later scored his first points of 2025 with P9 in the race.
Stroll is expected to return for the Canadian GP, but there is a chance that he could be ruled out of his home race if he is deemed unfit. In the event that happens, Aston Martin have reserve drivers Felipe Drugovich and Stoffel Vandoorne ready to step in.
Aston Martin could not replace Stroll in Barcelona as he had already taken part in the race weekend. The Canadian GP also presents a problem for the team if they have to replace him there, as Drugovich and Vandoorne are set to compete in the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Felipe Drugovich is refusing to be ‘on call’ for Aston Martin at Canadian GP as he commits to Le Mans
Having served as Aston Martin’s reserve driver since 2022, Drugovich is believed to be first in line to replace Stroll if he is deemed unfit in Canada. However, the Brazilian is scheduled to race for Cadillac at Le Mans that weekend, with Vandoorne racing for Peugeot.
Valtteri Bottas could be an option, given the team’s ties with Mercedes. But Aston Martin do not have an agreement with Bottas that automatically lets them use him when needed.
David Croft said that Drugovich would be ‘available’ for the Canadian GP if Stroll is ruled out. However, that is now no longer the case.
In a report from The Race, ‘Drugovich now appears totally focused on Le Mans’, having already travelled to the circuit to conduct tests with Cadillac.
‘Sources suggest he has indicated he is committed to staying there’, rather than ditching Le Mans and flying to Canada. Aston Martin are not set to make an announcement yet, but ‘everything is pointing towards Stroll being fit’ for Canada.
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Has Felipe Drugovich’s opportunity in F1 now come and gone?
Described as ‘special’ by former MP Motorsport team principal Paolo Angilella, Drugovich has been repeatedly snubbed of an F1 seat since he won the F2 title in 2022.
Aston Martin have limited the Brazilian’s duties to simulator work and FP1 appearances since then. He has been waiting for his chance to compete in a Grand Prix or land a full-time race seat, but has never gotten the chance.
This is the closest Drugovich has come to potentially racing in F1. But now he is seemingly committed to Le Mans, his opportunity to race on the grid may be over.
Drugovich is an option for Cadillac in 2026 as they become F1’s 11th team next year. His ties to the team’s endurance programme could be helpful in his case, but he is facing huge competition, with the likes of Sergio Perez, Zhou Guanyu and Bottas all linked.
