This season’s Formula E champion, Stoffel Vandoorne will undertake reserve driver duties for Aston Martin in the 2023 F1 season. He’s going to partner with Formula 2 champion Felipe Drugovich in developing the car for the British team. In addition, they will eventually stand in for one of its main drivers, if needed.
Vandoorne is going to combine F1 duties with his Formula E title defense, where he also switched teams. The Belgian is now going to join fellow ex-F1 driver Jean-Éric Vergne.
Vandoorne will work with familiar faces in Aston Martin
Even though his last active season in Formula 1 was back in 2018, Vandoorne has remained closely involved in the sport, with three years of affiliation with Mercedes. He was shared between the Germans and McLaren again as a reserve driver.
Interestingly, the current Formula E champion will be uniting with his ex-teammate, Fernando Alonso. “Joining Fernando, who I already know from my F1 racing career, and Lance, to help them develop and improve next year’s car will be a terrific job, and I’m really looking forward to the challenge – and reward – of working together with the whole organization at Silverstone.”, he said.
What about Nico Hülkenberg?
With two drivers now seemingly completing the roster for Aston Martin, there is no information about the future of the Hulk. After the ninth consecutive pointless result of Mick Schumacher in the Mexican Grand Prix, he is looking ever less likely to retain his seat.
Hülkenberg is one of the favorites of this place. As a German, he will satisfy the needs of one of Haas’ sponsors – 1&1. Also, he is still one of the best drivers in the world, without an F1 seat, so he would be the obvious choice.
