McLaren signs deal with Aston Martin to use its reserve drivers

McLaren and Aston Martin have reached an agreement for the services of the latter’s reserve drivers for selected F1 2023 races.

After securing the services of Mick Schumacher from Mercedes for the 2023 F1 season, McLaren has inked another deal with Aston Martin to use its reserve pair of Stoffel Vandoorne and Felipe Drugovich as its own reserve drivers.

But the deal is only for the first 15 races which goes from Bahrain until Italy and it will mostly come into action if either of Lando Norris or Oscar Piastri are unable to drive. This is a common process from McLaren for the last few F1 seasons.

In fact, after Norris got ill last year, the then Mercedes reserve Nyck de Vries had a seat fitting with McLaren just in case the Brit couldn’t make it. Fortunately he did make it but the Dutchman was close to be substituting thereby utilising the signed deal.

Outside of Schumacher, Vandoorne and Drugovich, McLaren has Alex Palou at their disposal but with his IndyCar season, it will be difficult for the Spaniard to be on case. Will Stevans and Oliver Turvey, meanwhile, continue on as their simulator drivers.

”We will have access to Aston Martin‘s reserve drivers, Felipe Drugovich and Stoffel Vandoorne, in the instance that they are required for driving duties for the first 15 races of 2023,” stated McLaren in a short statement.

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