The Lance Stroll saga was the talk of pre-season testing, with the Canadian driver reportedly breaking his wrist following a cycling accident in Spain.
The 24-year-old did not take part in any of Bahrain’s pre-season tests, sparking rumours that he would not be fit to race in the first race of the season.
Both Aston Martin and Stroll remained silent about the driver’s recovery over the course of testing but eventually it was revealed that Stroll would race in Bahrain, meaning substitute drive Felipe Drugovich was not needed.
Stroll was forced to undergo keyhole surgery only 12 days before the Grand Prix and spent hours on the simulator proving to his team that he was capable of completing the entire race without issue.
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Not only did Stroll complete the race, he finished in an impressive P6, beating the Mercedes of George Russell along the way.
After contact with his teammate Fernando Alonso on the first lap of the race, Stroll admitted to his team that he ‘shed tears’ due to the pain in his wrists but managed to power through all the way to the checkered flag.
Stroll’s stunning recovery and bravery has prompted Alonso to praise his teammate, with the Spaniard claiming that the Aston Martin team were all inspired by their driver.
“He is my hero,” said Alonso after the Grand Prix.
“If you see his hands and feet, you will think he cannot race.
“He has shown phenomenal effort to the whole team – very inspiring for us to see the determination and motivation from Lance.
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“Sometimes, people think he is not motivated to drive but he was very impressive this weekend and a lot of points for the team so he deserves a good podium very soon.”
Alonso’s performance in Bahrain was equally impressive, as the 41-year-old managed to secure his 99th and Aston Martin’s second podium in Formula 1.
The team look to be the second fastest car on the grid in terms of race pace at the moment, putting them in a strong position heading into the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in two weeks’ time.