Drugovich dusts off his helmet for Bahrain FP1 with Aston Martin

Drugovich has the most thankless job of all Formula 1 reserves as he backs up not only the 43-year-old Spaniard but also incompetent Lance Stroll, whose performances (e.g. this past weekend in qualifying and the race in the GP in Japan) would have had any other driver out of the car long ago.

Or unacceptable if he drove for any other team on the F1 grid—other than Aston Martin, which is of course owned by his billionaire father, Lawrence Stroll. One could argue with stats that 26-year-old Lance was a better driver until 2020, than he is now. Progress has not happened. The opposite is evident.

Nevertheless, track time in a Formula 1 car is a chance not to be missed for a sidelined driver like Drugiovich. The team announced that “the Brazilian driver will take to the track for the 60-minute session, collecting crucial data and insights to support the team's race weekend preparations and providing Felipe with valuable track time. The session will contribute to Felipe's total mileage in Formula 1 machinery, which currently exceeds 9,100 km.”

The team adds that Drugovich is well-acquainted with the 5.412 km circuit, having previously stood in for an injured Lance Stroll during 2023 pre-season testing at the same venue.

Drugovich said: "I'm very happy to be getting out in the F1 car again, especially so early in the season. I've been preparing on the simulator to get a feel for the car, and Bahrain is a track I know well and really enjoy driving.

"I'm excited to contribute and give the team the data they need to perform at their best this weekend. Thanks to the whole team for their continued support," said Drugovich, who—since becoming Formula 2 Champion in 2022—has done no meaningful racing apart from a handful of guest drives in LMP2 and an IMSA outing.

Aston Martin team principal Andy Cowell added: "We're pleased to offer Felipe this opportunity to drive the AMR25 in Bahrain. He has been an integral part of our team's simulator programme at the AMRTC and consistently provides valuable and insightful feedback that helps drive the development of the car.

"Felipe is a trusted pair of hands, and we're confident he’ll do a great job in FP1 and contribute to our preparations for the race weekend," added Cowell, whose team is P7 in the 2025 F1 Constructors' standings ahead of the forthcoming Round 4 in Bahrain.