Ferrari and Aston Martin pull out: two F1 stars to miss the Interlagos opener

The Formula 1 season is drawing to a close and, as is the case every year, the heavy strain brought about by the packed World Championship calendar is particularly noticeable at this time of year. In Mexico, Valtteri Bottas and Kimi Antonelli were absent due to illness. And even at this weekend’s race, not everyone is present in the Formula 1 paddock.

For example, the Aston Martin team has cancelled Lance Stroll’s attendance at the official FIA press conference. In a brief statement, the Silverstone-based team explained: “Lance will miss today’s media day as he continues to recover from a viral infection he contracted in Mexico. He is feeling better and we are confident that he will return to the paddock on Friday.”

Ferrari is also missing a driver: Charles Leclerc, who caused a stir in Mexico with his aggressive manoeuvres against his team-mate Lewis Hamilton – both within the team and amongst rivals and journalists – will not be answering journalists’ questions on Thursday.

However, there is a completely different reason for this. The Monegasque became a father for the first time on Tuesday. His wife Alexandra gave birth to their daughter Bianca, as the couple announced on social media. Many of the GP star’s colleagues have already congratulated him on the new arrival, including the new world champion Kimi Antonelli.

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