
Aston Martin driver Lance Stroll encountered a challenging incident during the third free practice session (FP3) for the Belgian Grand Prix, crashing his car in the treacherous conditions at the infamous Eau Rouge corner in Belgium. The session has been marred by heavy rain, complicating the already demanding track conditions.
The Canadian driver's ordeal began when he lost control of the rear of his AMR24 car midway through the Eau Rouge corner. The vehicle spun out, resulting in a collision with the inside wall. The impact primarily damaged the front corner of the car, thankfully limiting the extent of the destruction. Stroll was able to exit the car unassisted, although a medical car was promptly dispatched to the scene.
Sky Sports F1’s analyst, Ted Kravitz, reflected on the incident, noting the potential for a far graver outcome. He commented during the broadcast:
"That could have been so much worse. Thank goodness that wasn't a larger accident. It's only the front corner but the damage could have been a lot more serious.
"I think Aston Martin will think it's lucky there weren't bigger consequences."
Stroll hit the barriers after aquaplaning through Raidillon
— Formula 1 (@F1) July 27, 2024
Lance is out of the car and okay #F1 #BelgianGP pic.twitter.com/IDgSujSmHc
Former F1 driver and Sky Sports analyst Karun Chandhok also commented on the crash claiming that Stroll aquaplaned. He said during the broadcast:
"It's where we saw Norris crash in 2021. I think there is a bit of aquaplaning. For the intermediates, there was a bit too much standing water but because Lance had a snap of oversteer, it put him to the left and in more standing water, which sent him off track."
The practice session has been dominated by adverse weather conditions, with ongoing heavy rain affecting visibility and decreasing track grip. Max Verstappen currently leads the timing sheets with just under 40 minutes remaining.
For the Aston Martin team, the crash means a race against time to repair the AMR24 before the upcoming qualifying session.
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