Felipe Drugovich reveals Lance Stroll came “very close” to quitting F1 in 2024

Felipe Drugovich has revealed Lance Stroll came “very close” to quitting F1 in 2024.

Stroll’s commitment to F1 has remained a mysterious topic over the years.

There have been various rumours about Stroll potentially wanting to quit the sport, or even pursue a tennis career.

Stroll has continued to deny reports of him wanting to end his F1 career.

At the end of the 2023 season, Stroll said: “Yeah, I mean, the plan is I’m staying next year.

“You know, it’s been a challenging season at times for sure. You know, some great highlights but also some really frustrating days of recent. But yeah, the plan is to keep going next year for sure.”

Stroll will remain with Aston Martin for 2026 as he hopes the team makes a big step up in performance with Adrian Newey spearheading their design department.

Drugovich, who has been Aston Martin’s test and reserve driver, revealed that Stroll seriously considered quitting the sport.

“I renewed with them for 2024 and 2025, with a certain, not only hope, but there were, yes, talks, of me taking over in 2024, even with the team boss,” Drugovich explained on the Na Ponta dos Dedos podcast, as per Motorsport.com.

“And there came a time when other drivers were, perhaps, not wanting to continue, anyway, it was really a time, like, that didn’t work out for me to enter 2023, and at the end of 2023, it was very clear that maybe it would work out to enter 2024.

“And that’s when people seemed to start shaking things up, they were going to have an opportunity and they put the contract in front of me to renew for 2024 and 2025.

“And I said, ‘I’m in the right place, at the right time, let’s go’. And it seemed again, the right time, the right time. And I think it went much closer than everyone thought it did.

“It was really very close to Lance himself, maybe not continuing in 2024, so it really was…

“So nothing to judge against the circumstances, because I have nothing to do with it, and I also, if I were in their shoes, maybe I would do the same thing.”

No F1 opportunity for Drugovich

Despite winning the 2022 FIA Formula 2 Championship, Drugovich has failed to land a seat in F1.

The Brazilian was linked with Cadillac, but they opted for experience in Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez.

Drugovich conceded that the uncertainty around Stroll meant he was “stuck” at Aston Martin, having already signed a new deal.

“But, from my perspective, it’s really complicated, because I really thought it looked like, like, everything is opening up, everything is working out.

“They put the contract in front of me again for me to renew, because it’s going to happen and everything, and it turned out that it didn’t work and I got stuck in it, anyway.

“It is what it is, there’s not much for me to cry about right now.”