Brazilian racer Felipe Drugovich has confirmed he will leave his role as reserve and test driver at Aston Martin at the conclusion of the 2025 season. The 25-year-old, who has occupied that position since 2022, is turning his attention to a full-time driving career in Formula E with the Andretti Global outfit.
For three seasons Drugovich has been a fixture behind the scenes at Aston Martin, contributing to simulator work, development, and occasional free practice outings, yet never securing a full Grand Prix seat. During that time he also made appearances as a stand-in in Formula E and competed in endurance racing to keep his skills sharp. But the lack of a competitive, full-time seat evidently weighed on him.
“It’s been far too long for me without racing, so I’m incredibly motivated to get back on a racetrack,” Drugovich said when announcing his move. “It means a lot to know I’ll be competing in every session and not just serving as a reserve, as I have done the past few years.”
His new contract with Andretti will begin in December, in time for the kickoff of Formula E’s twelfth season. He is slated to partner with former champion Jake Dennis. This opportunity gives him the rare chance to resume his career as an active competitor rather than remaining on the sidelines.
Reflecting on his time with Aston Martin, Drugovich said, “I learned as much as I could in these three years and, actually, having looked from the other side of the helmet and observed the drivers from the outside, I think this has helped me learn a lot more than I thought.”
He admitted to some regret for not having made the jump into full championships earlier. “Of course, if I had known how these three years would go, I definitely would have at least competed in full championships earlier. Because that’s what I love to do,” he said.
However, Drugovich also defended his commitment to pursuing an F1 seat, even if that path ultimately did not materialize. “At the same time, I thought it was important to do everything possible to get a seat in F1, and if that hadn’t happened, I would have moved on, and yes, here I am.”
His comments also offered an intriguing insight into his limited interaction with the team’s high-profile technical staff. On his relationship with legendary designer Adrian Newey, who joined Aston Martin in recent years, Drugovich noted, “All the contact I had with him took place at Silverstone. I introduced myself, and that was all the interaction we had. He doesn’t talk to anyone in the team … he’s very focused on this … for that reason, I also expect Aston Martin to do a great job next year.”
From Aston Martin’s perspective, the departure is not unexpected. The team is widely expected to bring in Honda-backed driver Yuki Tsunoda for 2026, signaling a shift in their reserve driver strategy. A team spokesperson declined to comment directly on the matter, stating instead that “the wider driving squad for next year will be announced in due course.”
Drugovich’s move to Formula E is facilitated by Andretti Global’s involvement in both electric racing and its affiliation with TWG Motorsports, which also owns the forthcoming Cadillac Formula One team. His new role may allow him to maintain indirect ties to the broader F1 ecosystem while carving out his own path in electric single-seaters.
Nonetheless, Drugovich has made it clear that any future commitments must not undermine his primary focus in Formula E. “The focus is fully in Formula E at the moment, and I want to do this well,” he said, adding that he would carefully weigh any additional opportunities before taking on other programmes.
Earlier in 2025, Aston Martin confirmed Drugovich would remain their test and reserve driver for the season, praising his work in simulation and test programmes. At the time he said, “The incredible new facilities … demonstrate the ambition here, and I’m committed to being a part of Aston Martin Aramco’s long-term success.” Yet it seems that, despite mutual respect, both parties now agree that a new direction is necessary.