Breaking: Aston Martin Announce Fernando Alonso to … Read more
Aston Martin has announced that Fernando Alonso will not be participating in the opening practice session (FP1) of the Bahrain Grand Prix weekend. Instead, the team’s reserve driver, Felipe Drugovich, will take the wheel for the session. This decision is in line with Formula 1’s regulations, which mandate that teams must give a rookie driver—defined as someone with two or fewer Grand Prix starts—at least two practice sessions throughout the season in each of their cars.
Drugovich, who is currently Aston Martin’s official test and reserve driver, will step in during the FP1 session to gain more on-track experience and assist the team with valuable data collection. Although the Brazilian driver won’t be racing in the Grand Prix itself, his involvement in FP1 plays a crucial role in helping the team fine-tune their setup and gather information that could be useful for the rest of the weekend.
Fernando Alonso, despite missing the session, will return to the car for FP2 and will remain the lead driver for the rest of the Bahrain Grand Prix weekend. The Spanish veteran is looking to turn his fortunes around after a rough start to the 2025 Formula 1 season. He has faced significant challenges so far, retiring from two of the opening races and narrowly missing out on points with an 11th-place finish in the Japanese Grand Prix. As the team heads to Bahrain, Alonso will be hoping to finally get his season on track and score his first championship points of the year.
The decision to run Drugovich in FP1 is not just a formality to meet the rookie rule—it also serves as a developmental opportunity for the young driver. Drugovich has previously participated in practice sessions and is considered a strong prospect for the future. His time in the car allows Aston Martin to evaluate his progress and keep him race-ready in case he is ever needed for a full-time role.
This session in Bahrain is one of the two mandatory outings Aston Martin must offer to a rookie driver over the course of the season, and the team appears to be using it strategically. With Alonso still very much in the frame for the race itself, the focus will be on maximizing performance over the remaining sessions. Meanwhile, Drugovich’s involvement highlights the team’s continued investment in young talent and future development.
