Lance Stroll falls off bike, will miss F1’s pre-season testing in Bahrain

Formula 1’s pre-season testing kicks off in Bahrain later this week as the teams continue their prep for the 2023 campaign, but one driver who won’t be in attendance is Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll.

Stroll has apparently been involved in a “minor accident” while training on a bicycle in Spain, with the subsequent injuries meaning he won’t be able to participate in the test. 

“I've had an unfortunate accident whilst training on my bike in preparation for the season,” said the Canadian. 

“I am determined to get back in the car and I am excited about the season ahead with the team. I am motivated to bounce back from this setback as quickly as possible.”

Aston said that Stroll was “expecting a quick recovery” and that his fitness would be assessed daily ahead of the Bahrain Grand Prix on 5 March. 

At the time of writing, it’s unclear whether either of Aston’s reserve drivers (Stoffel Vandoorne or Felipe Drugovich) will step in for pre-season testing.