Formula 1 News: Drugovich has radical idea for idle F1 rookies

(GMM) Felipe Drugovich has a radical idea to give drivers like him a chance to prove their worth in Formula 1.

Like reigning F2 champion Theo Pourchaire, 2022 Formula 2 title winner Drugovich did not manage to make the step-up to motor racing’s top category.

The Brazilian, already 24, is currently Aston Martin’s full time F1 reserve, and he got his latest track outing in Fernando Alonso’s car in Mexico on Friday.

“It was the first time I had taken the wheel of the 2024 car, so I took a few laps the feel the car and after that I was able to push,” he told France’s Auto Hebdo.

“It was great to be back in a Formula 1 car.”

Drugovich, however, does not have a race seat for 2025.

Earlier this year, a proposal to give rookies like Drugovich a one-off sprint race during the post-season Abu Dhabi test was discussed extensively at the F1 Commission level.

Ultimately, the idea was shelved for now.

But Drugovich has an even more radical idea that he calls a “simple solution to the problem” of drivers like him being left on the sidelines and out of the spotlight.

“MotoGP has wild cards,” he said. “But of course, we cannot enter a third car.

“But most of the drivers are already saying that 24 races is too many. So if they have to give up one FP1 session, why not give up a whole weekend?”

Editor’s Note: This would force a change in how the driver’s championship is won – every driver would only count points from one less race per year and they would have to choose which race they will skip.  This will not go over well with a race promoter selling tickets if, say, one race has 5 popular drivers skipping the event – such as Singapore that is miserably hot and humid.