Hawkins completes F1 test with Aston Martin at Hungaroring

Jessica Hawkins got her first taste of a F1 car with Aston Martin at Hungaroring in a private test where Felipe Drugovich was driving too.

Team ambassador Hawkins got her first taste of a F1 car with Aston Martin at Hungaroring on September 21 when she drove the AMR21. Having done simulator work in whole of 2022, she got her first chance to drive the car in Hungary.

She became the first female driver since 2018 to drive a F1 car for a proper test. Hawkins completed a total of 26 laps as she shared the car with reserve driver Drugovich. Aston Martin is preparing her for a full-time drive in F1 Academy series in 2024.

“I want to say a big thank you to everyone at AMF1 Team for having the trust in me, believing in me, and for giving me this opportunity,” said Hawkins. “It’s taken me every bit of blood, sweat and tears to get here. When I first heard it might be a possibility, I could hardly believe it. I’ve had to keep it secret for months now – which was pretty hard! It’s been absolutely worth it and it’s given me really valuable insight.

“Nothing will compare to the acceleration and braking of a Formula One car and, having looked at the data, I’m really proud of my performance. Getting to drive the AMR21 has been a dream come true for me and one I’ve been ready to fulfil for a long time. I’ll keep pushing for more and, in the process, I want to inspire other women and let them know they should follow their dream no matter what it is.”

At the same time, Mike Krack added: “This is a special moment – for both AMF1 Team and for Jessica, who is an important member of our driver squad. We were really impressed by Jessica’s preparation for the test – she worked incredibly hard with our simulator team and that made it an easy decision to put her in the AMR21.

“Jessica approached the opportunity with great maturity; she was up to speed quickly and found a nice rhythm. This has been a hugely significant moment in Jessica’s journey with AMF1 Team and I am pleased we could give her this next step in her development journey by testing a modern Formula One car.”

Meanwhile, Robert Sattler, Evolution Programme Director, AMF1 Team, noted: “Jessica excelled in her first F1 test. After the installation lap we had a small delay as the circuit was hit by heavy rain. That resulted in a green track and on her first proper run there were still some damp patches in a few corners.

“Jessica progressively built up speed on a tricky track while managing flawlessly the complexity of the AMR21 car. Her feedback was precise and correlated with our data. After three runs, the track had dried and she was already matching the reference lap speeds. Overall, Jessica executed an excellent test programme with a very professional attitude and we hope to see her in the car again soon.”