F1 fans now make ‘cynical’ Aston Martin claim as Lance Stroll withdraws from the Spanish Grand Prix

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Only 19 Formula 1 cars will line up on the grid for Sunday’s 2025 Spanish Grand Prix.

Aston Martin announced after qualifying that Lance Stroll will not take part in the ninth race of the F1 season due to the recurrence of an injury picked up in the build-up to the 2023 campaign.

Stroll fell off his bike in the build-up to his most successful year in Formula 1 where he recorded his highest finish in the drivers’ championship despite only having a few weeks to recover from a serious wrist injury.

The Canadian driver qualified 14th for the Spanish Grand Prix, while Aston Martin teammate Fernando Alonso will start 10th.

He missed being weighed after his session came to an end, but this now looks like it can be explained by his withdrawal from the race, describing it as a ‘tough weekend’ on his side of the garage.

Guenther Steiner questioned Stroll’s attitude in the build-up to Sunday’s race.

Although he’s scored all of Aston Martin’s 14 points this season, Alonso has proven to be the faster but more unlikely driver within the team this year.

READ MORE: Aston Martin driver Lance Stroll’s life outside F1 from net worth to girlfriend

Aston Martin fans question why Felipe Drugovich didn’t replace Lance Stroll before Spanish Grand Prix qualifying

Aston Martin made a statement after qualifying finished explaining Stroll’s upcoming absence which 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.”

Plenty of fans reacted to this with many wishing Stroll a swift recovery ahead of his home race in Canada in two weeks.

However, others questioned why reserve driver Felipe Drugovich wasn’t asked to step into the car instead as Formula 1’s rules mean he can’t take part in Sunday’s race.

One fan explained: “Drugovich, Aston Martin’s reserve driver, will not be able to race tomorrow replacing Stroll because he did not qualify.”

Another reacted and said: “And why is he in a car if he’s not at 100%? Why are there reserve drivers? It’s not as if we were playing in the world championship but in the ninth car.”

One person pointed out: “The team that pays for a reserve driver but ‘forgets’ that he must have laps in order to be considered a reserve driver. All wrong with Aston Martin.”

“Run a reserve driver, you miss every shot you don’t take. Go racing or go home.

I hope Lance has a speedy recovery,” demanded another fan.

One comment read: “Now neither he nor Drugovich will race. That’s absurd,” and another insisted: “A missed opportunity for AM to evaluate Felipe. If you were being cynical, you might say Lance drove today to make sure that didn’t happen…”

“Honestly, zero respect for their own reserve driver,” claimed another fan, although it’s understandable why Aston Martin gave Stroll every opportunity to try and take part in the race given his points-scoring form in 2025.

READ MORE: All to know about Aston Martin F1 Team from team principal to lineage

Felipe Drugovich missed out on golden opportunity to prove his Formula 1 credentials

Drugovich won the 2022 Formula 2 championship but hasn’t consistently raced in a series since.

Liam Lawson thinks it’s crazy Drugovich doesn’t have an F1 seat and he impressed during a rare practice outing in Bahrain earlier in the year.

The Brazilian has a large fanbase in his home country, although Gabriel Bortoleto’s arrival has at least given them a driver to cheer for on the grid and he achieved his career-best qualifying in Spain on Saturday.

Drugovich has been linked with Cadillac ahead of their arrival in F1 next season.

He has previously raced for them in 24 Hours of Le Mans and IMSA for Cadillac but they may be worried about how few races he’s taken part in since his Formula 2 triumph.

The Spanish Grand Prix would have been the perfect opportunity for Drugovich to prove he’s got what it takes to race in F1.

He’ll now have to wait and see whether Stroll is fit enough after his upcoming operation to race at his home Grand Prix in Montreal.