Aston Martin retains Stoffel Vandoorne as reserve driver for 2026

Aston Martin has officially confirmed that Stoffel Vandoorne will remain with the team as simulator, test, and reserve driver for the 2026 season. The Belgian driver, who joined the Silverstone-based outfit in 2023, continues his technical partnership alongside Jak Crawford, who retains his role as the team's third driver.

Why it matters:

Retaining Vandoorne provides Aston Martin with crucial stability and continuity during one of the most significant regulatory overhauls in Formula 1 history. As the team develops the AMR26 for the new ground-effect era and power unit regulations, Vandoorne's experience—spanning F1, Formula E, and endurance racing—is invaluable for correlating simulator data with track performance.

The details:

• Role Hierarchy: Vandoorne will spearhead development in the simulator and handle testing duties, while Jak Crawford is designated as the third driver. This structure means Crawford is the first in line to replace Fernando Alonso or Lance Stroll if either race driver is unavailable.
• Driver Pedigree: The 33-year-old brings a high level of technical feedback, having claimed the Formula E championship in the 2021-22 season and securing 26 points across 41 F1 Grand Prix starts with McLaren.
• On-Track Progress: The team is currently conducting private testing for the new season in Barcelona. While the session began on Monday, Aston Martin plans to run the AMR26 on Thursday and Friday to complete its shakedown.
• Season Timeline: Following the Barcelona test, Aston Martin is scheduled to unveil the AMR26 livery on February 9. The car will then head to Bahrain for pre-season testing on February 11-13 and 18-20.

What's next:

The immediate focus remains on the successful completion of the shakedown in Barcelona and the subsequent official launch. With the driver line-up settled, the team is gearing up for the intense pre-season testing program in Bahrain to validate their 2026 contender.