Formula 1 team Aston Martin’s reserve driver Felipe Drugovich will drive on the first day of this week’s pre-season test in place of injured Canadian race driver Lance Stroll.
UPDATE: @FelipeDrugovich will attend the Bahrain test to share driving duties with Fernando Alonso. Felipe is scheduled to drive AMR23 on Thursday morning with Fernando taking over in the afternoon.
Schedule for Friday and Saturday to be confirmed. pic.twitter.com/RQK1sREbuo
— Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant F1 Team (@AstonMartinF1) February 21, 2023
The Brazilian Formula 2 champion will steer the car on Thursday morning in Bahrain before handing over to Fernando Alonso for the afternoon session.
Canada’s Stroll will miss the test as a result of what was described by the team as a “minor” cycling accident.
There is a risk that Stroll may not be able to race in the subsequent Bahrain Grand Prix, which starts the 2023 season on 3-5 March.
Aston Martin have two reserve drivers to choose from with Belgian Stoffel Vandoorne – the reigning Formula E champion, who was Alonso’s team-mate at McLaren in F1 in 2017-18 – the other.