Lance Stroll Crashes on Formation Lap Throwing Brazilian Grand Prix into Chaos

Alex Harrington | Nov 3, 2024

Oct 20, 2024; Austin, Texas, USA; Aston Martin Aramco F1 Team driver Lance Stroll (18) of Team Canada walks through the track entrance before the 2024 Formula One US Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images / Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

The Brazilian Grand Prix witnessed a chaotic turn of events as Canadian Formula 1 driver Lance Stroll found himself in yet another mishap, adding to a weekend already fraught with challenges. A further setback unfolded for Stroll just as the race was about to begin, with the driver sliding off the track during the formation lap, hitting the wall, then driving through gravel and getting his car beached.

This incident followed in the wake of an earlier crash during qualifying earlier today, making it a day to forget for the Aston Martin driver.

During Q2, Stroll crashed his Aston Martin into the barriers at Turn 3. Occurring with just under two minutes remaining on the clock, this crash caused a pause in the session. The delay in issuing a red flag, aimed to allow Stroll to attempt a return to the pits, had further controversial consequences.

it inadvertently hampered other competitors, affecting Max Verstappen from Red Bull Racing. As the incident unfolded, it effectively voided Verstappen's fast lap and prevented him from improving his position, leading to him starting much further back on the grid than anticipated.

Verstappen found himself pushed to 12th position after other drivers capitalized on the delay to improve their times. With a five-place engine penalty, the defending world champion had to start the race from 17th position, a significant disadvantage considering his typical front-running performances.

Just as the grid was poised for action, Lance Stroll's car, freshly repaired from damage from his crash earlier today, became stuck in the gravel. Defined as an 'abandoned start,' this incident caused another flurry of activity as the grid was reshuffled. The immediate outcome was a delay in the race start, pushing the event from its scheduled 12:30 local time kickoff to 12:47.