Ralf Schumacher warns Lance Stroll might NOT race in Bahrain

Lance Stroll

Schumacher warns Stroll might NOT race in Bahrain

The Sky Deutschland pundit believes that Stroll may struggle to drive in the season opener

Stuart Hodge

Saturday 4 March 2023 11:50 Updated: 11:57

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Lance Stroll might not race in Sunday's season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix, warns top TV pundit Ralf Schumacher.

The Canadian returned behind the wheel for Aston Martin during Friday practice, less than two weeks after breaking his wrist in a cycling accident.

Stroll finished sixth fastest, half a second behind pace-setting team-mate Fernando Alonso but TV pictures showed him releasing the steering wheel with his left hand as he went through the turn one hairpin.

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The 24-year-old said he's “feeling alright, a little stiff but overall it was okay.” German TV pundit Schumacher, though, believes Stroll might not feature in Sunday's race given the pain he is feeling. Brazilian Felipe Drugovich would replace him.

Schumacher 'curious' to see if Stroll makes it

“If it’s hurting him so much now, then he can probably forget the race,” he told Sky Deutschland. “Then Drugovich would have preferred to be given the chance. For him it will be hard now.

“When you consider that he has to do the qualifying on Saturday and then do 57 laps in the car on Sunday, I’m curious whether he’ll still be in the car in the third free practice session or you say at Aston Martin, ‘we’d rather put Felipe Drugovich in the car’.”

Stroll insists he's fit to race

Stroll himself though, insists he will still be okay to take part in Sunday's race.

"I just was protecting it," he said, speaking about letting go of the steering wheel to safeguard his wrist. "You know, it feels a little more comfortable [that way]. I feel that I can definitely drive, no problem."