Formula 1 News: Drugovich reveals Stroll 'almost quit' F1

(GMM) Felipe Drugovich has revealed just how close he came to securing a Formula 1 seat with Aston Martin, claiming Lance Stroll (pictured) “almost didn’t continue” for 2024 before ultimately deciding to stay.

Speaking on Brazil’s Na Ponta dos Dedos podcast, the 2022 Formula 2 champion confirmed long-rumored speculation that Stroll had considered quitting Formula 1 several times in recent years, only to be convinced otherwise by his father, Aston Martin team owner Lawrence Stroll.

The Aston Martin Aramco Formula One Team announced that Felipe Drugovich will remain the team's Test & Reserve Driver for the 2025 Formula One season. — The Aston Martin Aramco Formula One Team Test and Reserve driver Felipe Drugovich

“I renewed with them for ’24 and ’25, with not only hope, but actual conversations about me taking over in ’24 – even with the team manager,” Drugovich revealed. “And there came a time when other drivers were, perhaps, not wanting to continue.

“Anyway, it didn’t work out for me to enter in 2023, and at the end of that year it was very clear that perhaps it would work out to enter in ’24. And it was there that people seemed to start to shake things up.

“There was going to be an opportunity, and they put the contract in front of me to renew for ’24 and ’25. I said, ‘I’m in the right place, at the right time, let’s go.’

“It seemed like the right moment again. It was much closer than everyone thought. It was very close to Lance maybe not continuing in 2024.”

Ultimately, Stroll stayed on – leaving Drugovich to remain in a reserve role before now switching to Formula E.

Mahindra Racing announced today that Felipe Drugovich will make his ABB FIA Formula E World Championship debut with the team at the Berlin E-Prix — Mahindra Racing announced that Felipe Drugovich will make his ABB FIA Formula E World Championship debut with the team at the Berlin E-Prix

“Nothing to judge against the circumstances,” Drugovich continued. “Because I have nothing to do with it, and I too, if I were in their place, perhaps I would do the same thing.

“But from my perspective, it’s complicated, because I really thought everything was opening up, everything was going well. They put the contract in front of me again for me to renew because it was going to happen – and then it ended up not happening, and I’m stuck with this. It is what it is – there’s not much for me to cry about now.”

A collision with Esteban Ocon in Saturday’s sprint in Austin earned Stroll a five-place grid penalty for Sunday’s grand prix. The stewards found the Canadian “wholly at fault” and also applied two penalty points on his license.