Aston Martin’s F1 year 2023 begins with a setback. The team will be without Lance Stroll during pre-season testing due to an accident suffered by the Canadian during cycling training in Spain. The tests will take place at the Sakhir circuit in Bahrain between the 23rd and 25th of this month. The team believes that the driver, who was not seriously injured, will return for the start of the championship on March 5; in any case, the Brazilians Felipe Drugovich and Stoffel Vandoorne are on the bench.

– During his pre-season bike training in Spain, Lance Stroll was involved in a minor accident and picked up an injury which will cause him to miss the pre-season in Bahrain. Lance, however, hopes for a speedy recovery and a return to racing duties.

Stroll, 24, will play his seventh season in F1 in 2024 and his third with Aston Martin. The youngster is the son of team owner Lawrence Stroll, has already competed in 122 GPs and has three podiums – the last at the 2020 Sakhir GP, when he came in third place – and the team is called Racing Point.

The Canadian was 15th in the last drivers’ championship, having scored in eight of 22 races. He ended 2022 three places behind then-teammate Sebastian Vettel, who retired at the end of last year and was replaced by Fernando Alonso.

– Your fitness to return to the cockpit will be assessed daily and the team will post an update ahead of the Bahrain Grand Prix. The team wishes Lance a speedy recovery and looks forward to his usual energy and commitment to the team.

Aston Martin, in turn, was the seventh team in the 2022 F1 season, the same result achieved in 2021, the first year under the new name.