02/03/2023
NEWS STORY
Lance Stroll has revealed that he broke both wrists in the cycling accident that prevented him from taking part in pre-season testing.
"I had surgery on my right wrist, so screws," he told reporters in Bahrain ahead of his track debut in the AMR23 this weekend. "It was just a small procedure, then physiotherapy and rehab to get me here.
"It hurts a bit but it feels good," he added, "it feels solid, nothing I haven't had before. I really felt like I could drive normally with a little bit more discomfort, but nothing that's stopping me from driving, like any excruciating pain or anything like that.
"Professional athletes in every sport are sometimes in a bit of discomfort," he continued, "and if I felt like it was not smart, or it was a risk of injuring myself more, if I felt like my bones weren't ready, I wouldn't do it.
"It's a long season, there are 23 races, it's not all about being in Bahrain," he insisted. "But I do feel confident, the doctors feel confident, and here I am."
In preparation for the weekend, he and the team leaving it until this morning before confirming his readiness to participate in the season opener, the Canadian spent time in the simulator.
"I was in the sim yesterday, the day before," he said. "We turned up the steering strength and I felt good winding on the lock and going over bumps and all those things."
Asked whether he faces further surgery to have the screws removed, he said: "It is not 100 percent guaranteed yet. The doctors said they'll reassess. But they could come out because, in the end, it depends on how you're feeling down the line."
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