Barcelona, June 1 (IANS) Aston Martin have confirmed that Lance Stroll will miss the Spanish Grand Prix as the Canadian is scheduled to undergo a medical procedure following pain in his hand and wrist.

Stroll took part in Qualifying at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya on Saturday and finished 14th but the team announced a few hours later that he will sit out the rest of the weekend.

A statement released by Aston Martin read, “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.”

Stroll suffered fractures and a broken toe in a cycling accident during the 2023 pre-season, which required surgery and a period of rehabilitation. Despite initial doubts from his medical team about whether he could compete in the early races, he made a successful return for the season opener in Bahrain, finishing an impressive sixth.

Ahead of the 2024 season, Stroll revealed that he had adopted a more cautious approach to his training routine. Now in his seventh season with Aston Martin – having joined the team in 2019 when it was still operating as Racing Point – the 26-year-old currently holds 11th place in the Drivers’ Championship with 14 points.

His results have helped place the British team eighth in the Constructors’ standings, while teammate Fernando Alonso, yet to score points this season, is set to start Sunday’s Spanish Grand Prix from 10th on the grid. Due to the sporting regulations, Fernando will be their only car competing in the race.

–IANS

ab/bc