Aston Martin responds to astonishing Lance Stroll claim before Spanish GP withdrawal

Aston Martin has firmly rejected reports that Lance Stroll 'lost his temper' in the garage after qualifying for the Spanish Grand Prix.

After qualifying 14th, Stroll, as every driver is required to do so, did not immediately make his way down the pit-lane to be weighed by the FIA, for which he was promptly summoned by the stewards.

However, the hearing was delayed as it transpired that the Canadian had sought medical treatment for pain in his right wrist, and withdrew from the race on medical grounds.

Stroll broke both wrists in a 2023 pre-season cycling accident, forcing him to miss pre-season testing, but he recovered in time to race in the Bahrain opener, conceding that his "wrists were on fire" during a battle with George Russell. 

On Sunday morning, following his withdrawal, reports emerged from BBC Sport that Stroll had lost his temper in the garage and 'had broken equipment and sworn at team members.'

Aston Martin denied this, with trackside engineering chief Mike Krack explaining further about Stroll's situation over the past six weeks since he first reported discomfort from the 2023 injuries.

"No, no," Krack explained to media, including RacingNews365, when presented with the claim Stroll had lost his temper.

"First of all, I was on the pit-wall, and I have not heard anything, so I think this is typical [media stories]. 

"It has been known already that the whole thing started in 2023, there were injuries, and over the last weeks, there was the mention of pain, or reducing time in pain.

"You do not ask the driver every five minutes: 'Do you have pain?'

"You have a chat here with a physio, or hear a chat, and you understand that there are some small issues, we have seen it with Lance in 2023 when he fought his way back.

"The drivers want to drive, they don’t want to be out, so quite often, I think, they drive with probably more pain than they would even admit to be able to drive, because this is what they love to do.

"So over the last weeks, there was a mention here and there, but you’re never aware how much it is. And then the weekend, I think he was just getting too much.

"I think at the end of the day, Saturday after qualifying, Lance and his team decided it would be better to go and check, go and check again, and then the recommendation was better not to race."