Stroll pulled out of the Spanish Grand Prix last weekend after qualifying, complaining of intense pain in his wrist, believed to stem from an injury he sustained in a bike accident at the beginning of 2023.
The Canadian was unable to be replaced by either Drugovich or Aston Martin’s other reserve driver, Stoffel Vandoorne, as rules stipulate a driver cannot be substituted if they have taken part in qualifying.
It remains unclear whether Stroll will be fit enough to race at his home grand prix next week, with reports claiming he has undergone surgery since his Spanish withdrawal. No announcement has yet been made as to whether he’ll be available for Montreal.
Drugovich is scheduled to race at Le Mans for Cadillac on the same weekend, but told Brazilian station Band TV that if called upon, he would ditch the prestigious French race to make his Formula 1 debut.
“First of all, we have to wish Lance the best,” Drugovich said. “For Le Mans, in that regard, my priority has always been Formula 1, so that’s what must be maintained until then.
“At the moment, I don’t even know exactly how things will happen from now on.”
Aston Martin Chief Trackside Officer Mike Crack told media after the race in Spain on Sunday that there was no clear timeframe for Stroll’s return.
“You are not speaking to a doctor here, that is what makes it a little bit difficult to predict anything, or to say anything,” Crack said.
“I am not involved in that. We will have to see what the next days are bringing. I understand that there will be more tests, more checks going on over the next days, and we will know more in the coming days.”
Vandoorne is also facing a similar scheduling conflict, with the Belgian also taking part at Le Mans for Peugeot.
If Drugovich or Vandoorne are unavailable to race for Aston Martin, other options could include current Mercedes reserve drivers Valtteri Bottas and Frederik Vesti, given the team’s use of Mercedes power units, although Vesti is also competing at Le Mans next weekend.
Krack said that the team has plans in place for all scenarios.
“It is quite simple, the ‘Plan A’ is to have Lance in the car – that is the ‘Plan A’, and that is what we are working to,” he said. “If the ‘Plan A’ does not work, then we need to pull ‘Plan B’.
“We always knew that Le Mans was going to happen, so we also had plans in place that if we need a driver that is doing Le Mans, we will bring him, but at the moment this is not the only question.
“We wait what the next days are bringing, and then we take a decision.”
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