The Spanish Grand Prix will start with just 19 drivers after Lance Stroll pulled out due to struggles with pain.
His team, Aston Martin, have a third driver on location, but Formula 1 rules stipulate that drivers have to complete another session prior to the race.
That means that Brazilian Felipe Drugovich won’t be able to substitute in, leaving Aston with just Fernando Alonso and F1 with just 19 drivers.
Stroll’s issues stem from a bike accident in 2023 when fractured both wrists, a knee and a big toe.
Aston confirmed the cause in a team statement, writing: “Over the course of the past six weeks Lance has been experiencing pain in his hand and wrist, which his medical consultant believes is in relation to the procedure he underwent in 2023.
“As a result his medical team have confirmed that he will not race tomorrow and he will undergo a procedure to rectify these issues before focusing on his recovery.”
The Canadian suffered the injuries during a pedal bike crash in February 2023, two weeks before the season opener in Bahrain.
He missed the entirety of pre-season where Aston shone as clearly the second-fasted team on the grid behind Red Bull.
So impressive was their pace that 26-year-old returned to the paddock for Friday practice, again denying Drugovich a spot on the grid.
Spotted with both wrists bandaged and sliders to accommodate his swollen toe, Stroll incredibly finished sixth on race day and was able to continue the rest of the season without missing an event.
Stroll’s return from his procedure has no date, with the next Grand Prix in two weeks in Canada.
Drugovich, who was the 2022 Formula 2 champion, would likely take his place for that event, but the British team also have another F2 champion in Stoffel Vandoorne contracted.
Stroll qualified 14th but now the six drivers who were slower will have one car less ahead of them.
Teammate and home hero Alonso will start tenth, an impressive feat given Aston’s dire lack of pace this season.
Stroll previously opened up on his miraculous 2023 recovery with a post on Instagram.
He said: “On Saturday, February 18th I crashed on my bike while training in Spain. The scans showed I had a fracture and displacement in my right wrist, a fracture in my left wrist, a partial fracture in my left hand and finally another fracture in the big toe on my right foot.
“With the beginning of the season right around the corner the timing could not have been worse.
“My medical team, at first, believed I was not only going to miss testing, but realistically the first few races.
“48 hours after my accident/12 days before the first race Dr. Javier Mir successfully operated on my right wrist.
“Following surgery, Dr. Mir told me I’d be back for Jeddah if I worked hard and with a bit of luck he was optimistic I could race in Bahrain – but that was a faint possibility.
“To this day I am convinced the urgency Dr. Mir showed to me helped get me to Bahrain.
“The work wasn’t done. Unfortunately, Dr. Mir explained that the fractures in my left hand/wrist and toe weren’t suitable for fixation, and that I’d need to rely on a more conservative approach to heal my other injuries.
“My medical team ensured we were doing anything and everything that showed some evidence for bone healing. It became my full-time job, trying to combine everything that could help, even if it was by 0.5 per cent.
“Initially progress was slow – I needed a lot of help even with daily tasks at home.
“But each day got better and once the cast came off on day 4 it became possible we had a chance of racing in Bahrain. My medical team devised a programme that would help me restore mobility and strength in my wrists.
“Rehab required hard work and persistence – but with an incredible medical team and my friends and family supporting me – I was able to push through the pain and get back on track in Bahrain with my team and fellow drivers.”
Championship leader Oscar Piastri will lead us off the line for Sunday’s race after a stellar qualifying lap put him ahead of McLaren teammate Lando Norris.
