Stroll was replaced by Aston Martin reserve driver Felipe Drugovich in testing last year, as a result of him needing immediate surgery on his right wrist.
The Canadian driver had an accident in Spain whilst cycling ahead of flying out to Bahrain, which almost resulted in him not even competing in the season-opener. Some were stunned to see Stroll race in Bahrain just 12 days after having surgery, yet it highlighted his commitment to racing.
Missing testing put Stroll at a huge disadvantage last season, as his first experience of properly driving the car to its limits was during the Bahrain Grand Prix. As a result, he required a few rounds to get up to speed.
Pre-season testing is a crucial part of the year to ensure that you enter the campaign in as good a position as possible, especially when both testing and the first race of the year take place at the same venue.
It means a lot of the setup work is completed during testing, a luxury Stroll didn't have in 2023. He arrived at the Bahrain International Circuit 12 months ago with a bandaged wrist, something he's trying to avoid next week.
Stroll's learnt from what happened last winter and was in a comical mood during the launch of Aston Martin's 2024 challenger on Monday, where he joked about going to extreme lengths in his apartment to avoid injuring himself again.
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"My apartment is stacked with pillows and I'm not allowed to leave," Stroll joked to select media including RacingNews365.
Stroll continued to pull the media's legs and appeared incredibly relaxed, with him joking that he's simply been running in a straight line.
"I'm allowed to go running," Stroll comically added, "actually no one told me this."
"I think we live and we learn every day. So I'm running, I'm watching my step while I run. No ankle twisting, none of that funny business just running in a straight stride.
"And yeah, just looking after my limbs, I want to get to Bahrain testing this year. So that's the game plan."
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