Unwell Stroll misses Nurburgring FP3, Hulkenberg on stand-by
Racing Point Formula 1 driver Lance Stroll did not take part in FP3 at the Nurburgring today after feeling unwell.
The team says that it will make a call after the session about what it will do for qualifying for the Eifel GP.
The team’s reserve driver Nico Hulkenberg, who was already in Germany, has travelled to the circuit and will be on hand if he is required.
A statement from Racing Point said: “Lance Stroll is not feeling 100% this morning and will therefore not participate in FP3.
“His condition will be assessed after the session to evaluate whether he is fit to drive, at which point the team will confirm plans for quali.”
Hulkenberg stood in for Sergio Perez at the British GP and 70th Anniversary race when the Mexican had a positive COVID-19 test.
He failed to start the first race after a last minute engine problem, and finished seventh on his second outing, having qualified third.
He will be able to step into the car for qualifying, as it counts as a practice session.
A similar situation occurred at the 2017 Hungarian GP, when Paul di Resta was drafted into Williams for qualifying when Felipe Massa was not fit to drive.
Hulkenberg knows the circuit well. He drove in the last German GP at the venue in 2013, and tested a GT car at the venue a few months ago.
One complication is that he will have to have a negative COVID-19 test before he is allowed to enter the paddock.
It’s understood that he was due to come to the circuit anyway for TV commitments, in which case he would already have had the necessary test.
If he is required to drive then he will have a very limited amount of time to prepare for qualifying with the engineers, although at least the team will have been able to adjust the cockpit for his seat and pedal settings.
Stroll’s absence from FP3 will also compromise Perez’s weekend. With Friday rained out, today’s session was crucial for all teams, with the tyre testing workload shared out between both drivers, and work for both qualifying and the race crammed into the single session.
Related video
FIA unveils tweaked Eifel GP medical evacuation plan
Eifel GP: Bottas leads Hamilton, Leclerc in FP3
Spanish Grand Prix Driver Ratings 2022
In an unusually hectic Formula 1 Spanish Grand Prix, Charles Leclerc was denied a dominant performance by his Ferrari engine letting go which allowed Max Verstappen to pick up the pieces. But numerous flashpoints kept the race twisting and turning throughout, with one perfect score from an emerging contender
How Verstappen overcame his and Red Bull’s errors to win in Spain
Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari engine disaster offered an open goal for Max Verstappen and Red Bull to strike, but the reigning Formula 1 world champion still had to solve multiple errors and profit from a begrudged assist from team-mate Sergio Perez, which created an unexpectedly eventful Spanish Grand Prix
Why Red Bull can win a Spanish GP that looked perfect for Ferrari
Formula 1's return to Spain on Friday ended with Ferrari leading the way from Mercedes, while Red Bull could only manage third fastest overall courtesy of Max Verstappen. But its chances of victory are far from remote with a deeper dig into the times despite Ferrari's strong start...
The key aspects of Porsche and Audi's planned F1 entries
The VW Group’s German superpowers of sportscar racing have all but confirmed they are coming to F1 when the next set of engine rules come into force in 2026. Here's why both manufacturers are all set to take the plunge, and crucially how it might work
How Vegas went from byword for F1 indifference to grand Liberty coup
Holding a race in Las Vegas – party central, a city of dreams and decadence and, yes, more than a smattering of tackiness – has been on Liberty Media’s most-wanted list since it acquired Formula 1’s commercial rights. But, as LUKE SMITH explains, F1 has been here before and the relationship didn’t work out
Why de Vries' FP1 outing could add a new path to his current crossroads
A Formula 2 and Formula E champion, Nyck de Vries is currently considering where his future in motorsport lies. Continuing in WEC and Formula E is possible and he's also courted glances Stateside after impressing in an IndyCar test. But ahead of his Formula 1 FP1 debut with Williams, he could have another option if he impresses...
Why Leclerc's crash shouldn't put off F1 drivers tasting history
OPINION: For a demo run ahead of Monaco's Historique Grand Prix, Charles Leclerc was blessed with the opportunity to drive Niki Lauda's former Ferrari 312B3 - but a brake failure at Rascasse suggested Leclerc's Monaco hoodoo transcended contemporary F1. Although an awkward incident, Leclerc deserves credit for embracing F1's history.
Why the lack of "needle" between Red Bull and Ferrari is a mirage
OPINION: The fight for the 2022 Formula 1 world titles between Red Bull and Ferrari so far features little of the public animosity that developed between the former and Mercedes last year. But that isn’t to say things are full on friendly or won’t get much worse very quickly…