Vandoorne joins Aston Martin in test and reserve role
Following the Mexico City Grand Prix, Aston Martin have announced that reigning Formula E champion Stoffel Vandoorne will be joining the team as a test and reserve driver for the 2023 F1 season.
The Kortrijk-born driver previously race in the GP2 series in which he secured the championship title in 2015 after winning seven races in that year. He then joined Formula One as Fernando Alonso’s teammate at McLaren. This three-year spell failed to bring any success for Vandoorne with Alonso who regularly outpaced the Belgian driver.
The following years saw Vandoorne compete in Formula E, the FIA WEC series, and he also took part in selected races in the Asian Le Mans Series and the IMSA Sportscar Championship.
He secured his biggest success last year by clinching the world championship title with Mercedes in the all-electric Formula E series.
Aston Martin has now announced that Vandoorne will conduct his role with the Silverstone-based outfit while he will also fulfil his commitments in Formula E, where he will be racing for the DS Penske team for the 2022/23 season following Mercedes’ exit from the fully-electric single seater series.
Welcome to the team, @svandoorne.
— Aston Martin Aramco F1 Team (@AstonMartinF1) November 1, 2022
Formula E champion Stoffel Vandoorne enhances the 2023 @AstonMartinF1 driver line-up by joining @FelipeDrugovich as a test and reserve driver.
Tap below for the full story.
Commenting on his new role, Vandoorne said: “It is incredibly exciting to be stepping into a reserve-driver role in Formula One – and I’m delighted to be doing it with Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant Formula One™ Team.
„I’ve watched with great interest how the team has developed and expanded operationally, and I know how incredibly determined it is to make progress in every area. Joining Fernando, who I already know from my Formula One 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 organisation at Silverstone,” Vandoorne concluded.
Team Principal Mike Krack said: “Stoffel has all the capabilities we need for this new and expanded role within the team: he is fast, analytical, hard-working and a fantastic team player, and will fit perfectly into our growing organisation, working alongside our other test driver, Felipe Drugovich.
„The whole team is hugely motivated for next year, and the appointment of Stoffel, alongside Fernando, Lance and Felipe, gives extra depth to our fantastic driver line-up. This will be a significant role for Stoffel, and we will be reliant on him to work hard with both our track and simulation and engineering teams to improve our performance for 2023 and beyond.”
