Aston Martin has been formally warned by the FIA over Lance Stroll’s failure to comply with Formula 1’s driver weighing procedure after Spanish Grand Prix qualifying, despite Stroll subsequently withdrawing from the race altogether.
Stroll was eliminated in Q2 at Barcelona and was therefore required to be weighed immediately at the end of that segment of qualifying.
F1’s rules demand a driver proceed through the pitlane directly to the FIA scales immediately after they have returned to their team’s garage. The drivers may not drink anything or do anything which increases their weight before it is recorded by the FIA.
Stroll did not follow this requirement, as technical delegate Jo Bauer noted the driver instead spent five minutes in the garage then left it from the back not via the pitlane.
There were suggestions in the paddock that Stroll had vented frustrations about his Q2 exit in the garage, and a team spokesman only said that "Lance was upset”.
The stewards summoned Stroll to a hearing on Saturday evening but were then informed by Aston Martin that he could not attend due to a medical condition. They postponed the hearing until Stroll was fit, and the team could participate.
But later that evening the stewards were informed that “due to the seriousness of the medical condition, Car 18 would be withdrawing from the race”. Aston Martin released a statement on Saturday night that Stroll would undergo a procedure to address pain in his hand and wrist that it said he has suffered from for the last six weeks.
The stewards, who received a medical report and a letter from Stroll in which he explained he was in pain and sought urgent medical attention after Q2 ended, did not dispute the legitimacy of Stroll’s condition.
They noted that Stroll’s right hand and wrist required treatment, that subsequent medical tests confirmed this diagnosis, and that Stroll was advised not to drive and to rest. And they accepted the reason for the failure to comply was due to an unexpected and serious intervening medical condition, citing the health of the driver as “of course, paramount”.
But they still persevered with a hearing on Sunday morning, which Stroll could not attend but a team representative did, and the seriousness of complying properly with weighing procedures has been strongly emphasised.
Although Stroll’s withdrawal from the race rendered any of the most severe potential sporting penalties irrelevant - the stewards specifically referenced the prospect of disqualification - Aston Martin received a warning.
The stewards felt that the team should have promptly informed the FIA about the situation to allow for appropriate assistance and observation to be carried out.
“The weighing procedures are a fundamental element of the regulations designed to ensure sporting fairness and equity,” the stewards said.
“They need to be complied with strictly. Failure to do so could result in serious consequence including a disqualification.”
Stroll’s injury is believed to be in relation to “the procedure he underwent in 2023”, when he missed pre-season testing following what Aston Martin said was a cycling accident, but recovered enough to be back in the car within two weeks of surgery for the opening race.
Aston Martin has not disclosed when Stroll’s procedure will take place or the expected timeframe of his recovery. F1’s next grand prix is Stroll’s home race in Canada in two weeks’ time.
