Stroll fit to return for Canadian GP

Lance Stroll will be fit to race at this weekend’s Canadian Grand Prix after missing the last race in Spain with injury, his Aston Martin team have said.

The 26-year-old Canadian pulled out of the Spanish Grand Prix after experiencing pain in his hands, which the team said was the legacy of an operation after a cycling accident in February 2023.

The team said in a statement: “Lance had a successful medical procedure to resolve the symptoms he has been experiencing and completed some laps in an old F1 car at Paul Ricard earlier this week.

“Lance is feeling fit and healthy, and is excited to compete in front of his home crowd.”

Aston Martin announced Stroll’s withdrawal in Spain late on Saturday evening. The following morning it emerged that he had lost his temper in the team’s garage after he was knocked out of qualifying after the second session, in which he was more than 0.5 seconds slower than team-mate Fernando Alonso.

Drivers are required to head straight to the FIA garage to be weighed after qualifying, which Stroll did not do until later. He was given a warning by stewards for his misdemeanour.

Stewards said after investigating the incident that Stroll had written them a letter and “explained that the reason for failing to immediately attend the weighing was because he was in pain and sought urgent medical attention for the pain.