Aston Martin have announced that Fernando Alonso will be replaced by the team’s third driver Jak Crawford in Free Practice One at the Japanese Grand Prix. It will be the rookie’s first FP1 appearance as the Green Machine’s third driver.
The news comes amid Aston Martin’s difficult start to the new Formula 1 season. Neither Alonso or Lance Stroll have scored a point after races in Australia and China so far this year.
There were even doubts over whether Aston Martin could take part in the opening race of the season in Melbourne earlier this month. This was due to two of the four battery packs supplied by Honda for the race weekend developing faults after just the first hour of on-track running in FP1.
And the team have now decided to hand Crawford a chance in FP1 on Friday. It will be his third FP1 session in total after completing two towards the end of last season.
Speaking via the team’s website, the 20-year-old said: “I’m really excited to get behind the wheel and drive for the team at Suzuka. It’s such a historic yet demanding circuit, and I can’t wait to apply what I’ve learned in the simulator to real track conditions.
“A big thank you to the team for giving me this opportunity. As with my previous FP1 sessions, I’m looking forward to making the most of it and learning as much as I can.”
It is said that Crawford has played a significant role behind the scenes through extensive simulator work. This work could prove particularly valuable given Suzuka is a circuit he has yet to experience in real-world conditions.
The team’s chief trackside officer, Mike Krack, added:”It’s great that we’re able to give Jak another opportunity in FP1 as part of our ongoing commitment to developing young talent. He has been working hard, especially in the simulator back at Silverstone, and this session will allow him to continue building valuable track experience.
“It’s an important opportunity for him to keep progressing, while also contributing to the team by gathering useful data and feedback.”