Last Updated on June 4 2025, 11:16 am

Stroll’s participation in the Canadian Grand Prix in doubt as Aston Martin considers emergency stand-in, meanwhile rumours circulate over Stroll’s long term F1 career – As the Formula 1 paddock turns its attention to Montreal, a dark cloud hangs over what should be a homecoming celebration for Lance Stroll. Lance Stroll, the sport’s most prominent Canadian currently, is facing the very real possibility of missing his home Grand Prix — and with that, whispers are growing louder that this might not just be a temporary absence, but his final appearance in the sport altogether.

After aggravating an old injury to his right wrist in a cycling crash earlier last year, Stroll was forced to withdraw from last weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix after qualifying. Although Aston Martin claims that Stroll could still return in Montreal, the lack of communication from his team and the mounting uncertainty over his fitness have fuelled speculation that he may be leaving Formula 1 sooner rather than later.

For now, the team is scrambling behind the scenes to line up alternatives in case their driver cannot suit up for the 15 June showdown in Canada. However, whether they are preparing for one race or the beginning of life without Lance remains a sensitive question that no one at Aston Martin wants to answer just yet.

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Stroll’s recovery timeline remains uncertain

While the exact details of Stroll’s recovery are being kept under wraps, sources within the paddock suggest the timeline is tight and optimism is fading. Although he took part in qualifying in Barcelona, his condition deteriorated rapidly thereafter. Under FIA rules, he could not be replaced once qualifying was complete, but that will be an option in Canada.

If Aston Martin decides in time that Stroll won’t be fit, they’re allowed to enter a replacement before the start of free practice. Given the significance of the event — a home race in front of thousands of Canadian fans — the team is understandably reluctant to pull the plug until the last possible moment. However, each day without improvement increases the pressure to activate a Plan B.

Mike Krack, Aston Martin’s Chief Trackside Officer, is trying to remain diplomatic.

“We’ll let the medical experts decide. It’s not about forcing things. Lance wants to be there, of course, but the priority has to be long-term health.”

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Drugovich is at the top of the stand-in list, but there’s a clash.

The leading candidate to stand in is Brazilian reserve driver Felipe Drugovich. The 2022 Formula 2 champion has previously tested for Aston Martin and stood in during pre-season while Stroll recovered from an earlier injury. He knows the car, the systems and the team, making him the obvious plug-and-play solution.

But there’s a problem. Drugovich is also committed to Cadillac’s entry in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, which is taking place on the same weekend as the Canadian Grand Prix. Although Drugovich told Brazilian media that ‘Formula 1 remains my top priority’, his dual commitments may necessitate some hasty negotiations behind closed doors.

If Aston Martin truly sees Drugovich as a long-term option, perhaps even beyond 2025, they may need to pull him away from endurance racing now and lay the groundwork for a more permanent role.

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Could Bottas be a surprise super-sub?

One of the more unexpected options being considered is Valtteri Bottas. Recently released from Stake F1, the Finnish veteran is technically available and still aligned with Mercedes to some extent, as they supply engines to Aston Martin.

Bottas brings more than just experience: he offers race fitness, current knowledge of how to handle hybrid-era cars, and minimal risk. If Aston Martin wants an experienced driver to secure points and stability in the short term, few names would top Bottas.

He is joined on the longlist by Frederik Vesti, another Mercedes-affiliated driver, but Vesti lacks Bottas’ seniority and track record. While the Danish driver could be a prospect for the longer term, Aston Martin would probably prefer someone with experience of the intense pressure of a Grand Prix weekend.

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Vandoorne or Crawford? Less likely picks

Stoffel Vandoorne remains a distant option: his last Grand Prix start was in 2018. While he still tests for the team, five years away from the grid makes a comeback risky. Add to that his Le Mans commitments with Peugeot, and the logistics quickly become problematic.

Then there’s Jak Crawford, a rising talent in the Aston Martin junior ranks. At 20 years old, he is energetic and connected to the team through simulator work, but he has not yet raced at F1 pace. More crucially, it is unclear whether he even holds a Super Licence, the mandatory credential required to race in Formula 1. At this stage, Crawford seems more like a project for the future than a viable emergency solution.

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Is this the final lap for Lance Stroll?

Whispers around the paddock are growing louder: if Stroll does sit out Montreal, it may not just be a temporary absence — it could mark the beginning of the end. The 25-year-old son of team owner Lawrence Stroll has enjoyed a relatively secure place in the sport, but 2025 has not gone to plan.

His pace has lagged behind that of his teammate, Fernando Alonso; the development of the car has stagnated; and now his physical health is threatening to remove him from the cockpit entirely.

With Aston Martin openly preparing for the worst and young talent waiting in the wings, this latest injury could force the Stroll camp to have some difficult conversations. If he misses his home race — a symbolic highlight of his season — he may start to question his motivation and long-term prospects in the sport.

While no formal retirement talk has surfaced yet, the signs are impossible to ignore: An injury recurrence. Increasing absences. A team looking ahead. In motorsport, fairy-tale endings are rare, and Montreal may quietly mark the end of Lance Stroll’s Formula 1 career, and an injury like this would provide the best method to ‘save face’ as son of the team owner looks to exit F1 forever.

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Red Bull Racing has responded angrily to claims by former Formula 1 driver Ralf Schumacher that Max Verstappen may have deliberately caused his collision with George Russell at the Spanish Grand Prix in order to invoke a contractual clause allowing him to leave the team.

Schumacher, now a pundit for Sky Germany, caused a stir in the paddock when he suggested that Verstappen’s frustration-fuelled lunge late in the race may not have been an accident. Instead, Schumacher questioned whether the Dutchman’s actions were part of a calculated strategy to scupper his world championship hopes — and, by extension, his long-term commitment to Red Bull.

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