Aston Martin’s long-time F1 hopeful set for Formula E switch

Felipe Drugovich, Aston Martin’s F1 reserve driver, is poised to race in Formula E.

The 25-year-old Brazilian is set to join Andretti for the 2025-2026 Formula E season in a deal that is expected to be formally announced this week, according to The Race.

Drugovich has served as Aston Martin’s reserve driver since 2023 but despite making several FP1 outings and test appearances, a full F1 debut has evaded him.

The closest he came to making his F1 race debut was at the start of the 2023 season, and ahead of this year’s Canadian Grand Prix, when there were doubts over Lance Stroll’s fitness.

Stroll ultimately recovered in time on both occasions and Drugovich’s services were not called upon.

The 2022 Formula 2 champion has kept himself embedded within the F1 paddock in the hope that a full-time opportunity might come his way.

Drugovich was said to be in the running to join the new Cadillac team but they instead signed Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas for 2026.

With Drugovich facing another year on the F1 sidelines, he is now set to make the switch to the all-electric Formula E championship.

Drugovich has raced in other championships in the meantime and dovetailed his Aston Martin reserve duties alongside a campaign in the European Le Mans Series last year.

Drugovich has already made Formula E debut 

Drugovich has already racked up some Formula E experience, having participated in the Berlin rookie test for Maserati in April 2023.

He then made his Formula E race debut with Mahindra in Berlin this year as he stepped in for Nyck de Vries. Drugovich finished 17th and seventh in his two race outings.

After his Formula E debut, Drugovich said he gained appreciation of the skillset required to be successful in the championship.

“I already had a lot of appreciation and respect for these guys and they are at a really high level,” he said.

“And it’s often difficult to see that from TV and, you know, it’s very hard to read the race and have a lot of mental capacity to understand and read the race while you’re still racing.”

Durgovich’s ultimately-failed bid to land an F1 seat was backed by two-time world champion Fernando Alonso.

“It would be great to see him in F1,” Alonso said recently. “He has an incredible talent, Formula 2 was a demonstration.

“We can see it here every day when we work with him. The simulator work, some of the free practices that he has.

“He has been always delivering the performance that the team was asking, even with very limited kilometres.

“It would be interesting to see him in a full-time drive and I hope it happens.”