Felipe Drugovich to replace Lance Stroll on first day of Bahrain testing for Aston Martin

Formula 2 champion Felipe Drugovich will drive on Thursday morning, with coverage starting live on Sky Sports F1 at 6.50am; Lance Stroll involved in “minor accident” while cycling in Spain ahead of the 2023 F1 season

Felipe Drugovich will replace the injured Lance Stroll and drive for Aston Martin on the first day of pre-season testing.

Aston Martin – forced into an unexpected late sub – have confirmed that Drugovich will drive on the opening Thursday morning in Bahrain before handing over to Fernando Alonso. The team have yet to confirm plans after that.

Testing is live on Sky Sports F1 from Thursday at 6.50am.

Drugovich, 22, is a relatively new Aston Martin reserve after only being signed last September but comes into his first pre-season test off the back of an impressive Formula 2 championship win.

He drove Aston Martin’s previous car at November’s post-season test in Abu Dhabi.

Stroll is missing this week’s three-day test after suffering injuries in a “minor” cycling accident in Spain.

Felipe Drugovich was signed by Aston Martin during his F2 title-winning campaign

Aston Martin did not confirm whether Stroll, who is the son of team owner Lawrence Stroll, will be fit to race at the 2023 season opener, but said he would be “assessed daily” ahead of the March 3-5 Grand Prix, which is also in Bahrain.

There is no obligation for teams to use a second driver over the three-day event in Sakhir, but with Aston Martin reserve Stoffel Vandoorne scheduled to be competing in Formula E in Cape Town, Drugovich was always the favourite to fill in.

An Aston Martin statement said: “Whilst pre-season training on a bicycle in Spain, Lance Stroll was involved in a minor accident and sustained injuries which will result in him sitting out the pre-season test in Bahrain.

“Lance is, however, expecting to make a quick recovery and return to driving duties. His fitness to return to the cockpit will be assessed daily and the team will issue an update ahead of the Bahrain Grand Prix.

“The team wishes Lance a speedy recovery and looks forward to his usual energy and commitment within the team.”

Stroll, who has seen two-time world champion Alonso replace four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel as his team-mate during the off-season, is set to begin his seventh campaign in the sport.

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Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll give their thoughts at the launch of Aston Martin’s car for the 2023 season

“I’ve had an unfortunate accident whilst training on my bike in preparation for the season,” the 24-year-old Canadian said.

“I am determined to get back in the car and I am excited about the season ahead with the team. I am motivated to bounce back from this setback as quickly as possible.”

News of Stroll’s injury came just a few hours after Aston Martin had announced that Vandoorne and Drugovich would both also be available to competitors McLaren for the first 15 races of the season, should a situation arise where they were needed.

The agreement sees McLaren expand their pool of reserve options, with Mercedes’ Mick Schumacher already having been made available to them in a similar agreement.

Pre-season testing and all 23 races in Formula 1’s biggest-ever season are live on Sky Sports F1.