Aston Martin have a dilemma ahead of the Canadian Grand Prix as Lance Stroll may be ruled out with injury.
The 26-year-old pulled out of the Spanish Grand Prix due to a wrist injury. Aston Martin said Stroll was struggling with complications of the injury he sustained in 2023.
However, reports have suggested that Stroll had a meltdown after qualifying in the garage which may have caused the injury. Stroll allegedly damaged a helmet by launching it at the wall after getting knocked out in Q2.
Whatever the case, the Canadian was ruled out of the race in Barcelona, with Aston Martin unable to replace him as he had already taken part in the race weekend. Stroll is in doubt for his home race in Montreal next weekend.
The Silverstone-based outfit have reserve drivers Felipe Drugovich and Stoffel Vandoorne as options, but the Canadian GP clashes with the 24 Hours of Le Mans, which the pair are competing in for Cadillac and Peugeot respectively.
Drugovich has refused to be ‘on call’ for Aston Martin as the Brazilian prioritises Le Mans. With Vandoorne likely to do the same, Aston Martin could call upon Valtteri Bottas to race in Canada if Stroll is deemed unfit.
Valtteri Bottas will serve a five-place grid penalty if he races in Canada due to an incident in Abu Dhabi last year
The Finn is serving as Mercedes’ reserve driver in 2025 after losing his seat at Sauber at the end of last season. Bottas is an experienced head to call upon if George Russell or Kimi Antonelli drop out of a Grand Prix.
The 35-year-old has also been made available for Mercedes’ customer teams – McLaren, Aston Martin and Williams – if required. However, unlike the other two outfits. Aston Martin do not have a race agreement with Bottas that allows him to step in for a Grand Prix.
Even if they did strike a deal with Mercedes to get the Finn on the grid in Montreal, Aston Martin would be hit with a penalty. In a report from The Race, Bottas has an outstanding five-place grid penalty to serve.
At the 2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Bottas collided with Kevin Magnussen and was hit with a grid penalty for the incident. But as it was his final race for Sauber, the punishment carries over to his next Grand Prix; he will have to serve it if he races for Aston Martin.
READ MORE: Valtteri Bottas’ life outside F1 from girlfriend to wine and gin
Where does Valtteri Bottas’ F1 future lie in 2026?
The Finn has made it no secret that he wants to return to the F1 grid in 2026. Mercedes will not stand in Bottas’ way as he looks to secure a full-time seat.
Bottas’ TPC test with McLaren could be a huge boost for his chances next season. He is keeping himself fit and can provide a wealth of experience to any team on the grid.
Bottas has been heavily linked with Cadillac in recent months, as tea team searches for their first two drivers in F1. However, Cadillac may favour Mick Schumacher for 2026, having been impressed by his World Endurance Championship efforts with Alpine.
The Enstone-based outfit are also an option for the 35-year-old as Bottas has reopened talks with Alpine over a potential seat. The team are assessing their driver pool for 2026, with Sergio Perez also holding discussions.
