Aston Martin will field Felipe Drugovich at the 2023 Bahrain GP, with Lance Stroll having now been ruled out due to injury, sources told London Insider on Saturday.
Stroll had a cycling accident ahead of pre-season testing, with the Canadian suffering a wrist injury which prevented him from taking part in pre-season testing in Bahrain.
Aston Martin quickly drafted in Drugovich, the 2022 Formula 2 champion, to fill in for Stroll.
He and Fernando Alonso have been giving Aston Martin’s 2023 Formula 1 car its initial shakedown in Sakhir, with the team’s new challenger looking ultra-competitive, despite a few gremlins over the course of the three-day test.
While Aston Martin are yet to reveal if Stoll will be able to race in Bahrain next week, London Insider can confirm he won’t be fit to compete.
Drugovich will once again fill in for him.
Stoffel Vandoorne was another option, but given the fact that Drugovich has already driven the AMR23, the Silverstone-based team opted to run with him, sources explained to this publication.
Stroll should be fit to compete in the second race of this season, which will take place in Saudi Arabia in mid-March.
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