“It’s ridiculous how much speed you can carry into the corners” – Felipe Drugovich shares his experience after driving the Aston Martin AMR21 at Silverstone
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Felipe Drugovich drove the Aston Martin AMR21 for 300kms in a test conducted by the team at Silverstone
Felipe Drugovich is the 2022 Formula 2 champion, who had an impressive F2 season this year, with 5 race wins under his belt. The Brazilian-Italian impressed many in the F1 paddock and was signed up by Aston Martin as its first member of their driver development program. The 22-year-old will be sitting on the sidelines next year after failing to get a full-time seat in Formula 1 but will be looking to convert this junior role into a race seat in the future.
Aston Martin was seen as the only viable option for the Brazilian who up until then was not part of any driver academies in order to be more independent about getting chances in F1. Despite their struggles in the past two seasons, the Silverstone-based team is set to build itself to the top after major capital expenditure and influx of experienced personnel poached from the top teams.
Aston Martin will be having a few changes coming in 2023, with Fernando Alonso replacing the retiring four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel, a major change in the lead driver which could determine how the team progresses in the long term. Apart from that, the Silverstone-based team has also hired ex-f1 driver Stoffel Vandoorne as a reserve driver for the team. Felipe would be working alongside Vandoorne and helping the team back at the factory.
Felipe Drugovich gets enough super license points for FP1 session in Abu Dhabi
Despite of winning the F2 championship, Drugovich would not have been able to take part in a free practice session for the team until the end of the season, to acquire the super license points from his victory. Thus the British team conducted a private test for the Brazilian at Silverstone recently. The 22-year-old drove last year’s AMR21 for a total running of over 300kms, enabling him to take part in FP1 in Abu Dhabi.
Felipe was amazed over the speed and downforce levels of F1 cars and exclaimed, “the most impressive thing is the lateral grip and lateral g-force that the F1 car produces. It’s ridiculous how much speed you can carry into the corners.” The 22-year-old also mentioned his weeks-long training to prepare himself before the test run in order to strengthen his body, especially the neck. Brazilian also did simulator running at the team’s HQ to familiarize himself with the procedures.
Drugovich was ecstatic over getting to drive an F1 car, saying, “It’s something I’ve dreamt of all my life. To not only sit in an F1 car, but to actually drive it” The test had the 22-year-old race in both slicks and wet tyres due to the weather conditions. Felipe appreciated getting a chance to get this test which has allowed him to learn how a formula 1 car works with tyres, setup changes, and most importantly the handling of the cars.
Thus after getting the necessary super license points, Felipe Drugovich is ready to make his debut in an F1 session for the first time at the Yas Marina Circuit. The 22-year-old will be under pressure to impress his team and the paddock. Proving to the world that he is the new F2 champion who did not deserve to sit as a reserve for a year. Looking forward, it is likely Felipe will stay with Aston for a couple of years before either potentially replacing Alonso or searching elsewhere for a seat.
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