Aston Martin’s Felipe Drugovich has vowed to help the team “maintain this momentum” after a strong 2023 pre-season test.
Having initially not expected to feature in the three-day test until Lance Stroll was injured in a cycling accident, Drugovich has achieved 117 laps in total across his running in the morning sessions on Days One and Three.
Most of the Brazilian’s running came on the final day of the test as he managed 77 laps and placed third-fastest at the lunch break, eventually finishing 10th overall once the checkered flag fell in the afternoon session.
Drugovich therefore was happy to “have made good progress” on and off track across all three days of running and felt “great” to return to the car, having sat out Day Two in order to give Fernando Alonso maximum time inside the cockpit given that he is primarily their reserve driver.
Last year’s F2 champion also praised Aston Martin for their “set-up changes” across the test, having “done a really good job implementing the feedback Fernando and I have given.”
Drugovich though is in contention to make his F1 debut next weekend if Stroll isn’t declared race-fit by medical doctors, which has made this test a “valuable experience” for the 22 year-old in terms of comparing his “own observations with those of a two-time World Champion.”
On what it has been like working alongside Alonso across the test, Drugovich commented: “In general, our comments are similar and I think we have worked well together to help the team maximise our three days of pre-season testing.”
Drugovich also teased what Stroll could expect when he returns to the cockpit, as he added: “The car feels like a step forward from last year, but we need to remember that all teams will have developed over the winter and so we will continue working hard to maintain this momentum.”
He neverthless is “feeling positive” that Aston Martin will be competitive this season despite acknowledging that they won’t know their “relative pace until qualifying next Saturday.”
Alonso meanwhile praised Drugovich for how he “adapted very well” to his unexpected pre-season test appearance, although he “missed” getting the chance to gel trackside with Stroll – who will be his regular teammate this season.
The two-time champion also echoed Drugovich’s thoughts on the improved car as he said: “Overall, the car felt competitive across the three days, but we need to compare to the others next week.
“There is a lot of potential left for us to unlock and I think we are in a decent place heading into next week. Our goal is to make a step forward from last year and we will take things step by step.”
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