Lance Stroll has revealed the extent of the injuries he sustained in a bike crash during his pre-season training for the 2023 Formula 1 season. The Aston Martin driver had to miss pre-season testing last week and was in doubt for the opening race in Bahrain, with Aston Martin putting reserve driver Felipe Drugovich on standby. However the team confirmed that Stroll would be "participating" in the race weekend having spent time in the simulator in the last couple of days, with the Canadian confirming that he broke his wrist in the accident. "I fell off my bike and broke my wrists. I had a surgery on my right wrist, it's just a small procedure and it was just physiotherapy and rehab to get me here," he told media, including RacingNews365.com . "It was a private matter. There was a lot going on; I was going into surgery, dealing with rehab, I didn't have a clear answer of how long it was going to take to recover. "I was just completely focused and motivated to make it here to Bahrain."
There was a lot of speculation over the accident, with sources close to the accident site in Mijas, Malaga informing RacingNews365 that Stroll went to Clinica Dexeus in Barcelona, where he was treated by Doctor Xavier Mir - a favoured surgeon of MotoGP riders. Stroll was seen with a bandage covering part of his right hand, and confirmed that he received surgery on the Monday of the week of pre-season testing. When asked about the surgery, he confirmed that doctors had to insert screws into his wrist as part of treatment for the broken bones. "I had surgery, so screws," he said. "It is not 100% guaranteed yet [screws will come out], the doctor said they'll reassess. But they could come out because in the end it depends on how you're feeling down down the line." Stroll added that he has no limitations that have prevented him from driving this weekend, which he confirmed would be from the first Friday practice session. He added: "I really felt like I could drive normally with a little bit more discomfort, but nothing that's stopping me from from driving, like any excruciating pain or anything like that."
Stroll: I want to give myself every chance to race
So far Stroll has only completed a handful of laps during the shakedown of the AMR23 at Silverstone, after the team launched in early February. Despite this, the Canadian wanted to give himself every chance to race in Bahrain but conceded that he would not be there if doctors advised him to rest. He added: "I just want to have every chance to go racing. If I feel like I'm fit enough to race with a bit of discomfort, I'm gonna do it. "Professional athletes in every sport are sometimes in a bit of discomfort, and if I felt like it was not smart, or it was a risk of injuring myself more if I felt like my bones weren't ready, I wouldn't do it. "I think F1, it's a long season, there's 23 races, it's not all about being in Bahrain. But I do feel confident, the doctors feel confident, and here I am."
Most read
