06/06/2024
NEWS STORY
Jak Crawford has his first taste of F1, as he completes more than 400km of running at the Red Bull Ring, marking his debut with Aston Martin.
The 19-year-old American, currently in his second F2 season, got behind the wheel of the AMR22 and quickly got to grips.
Good weather in the Styrian hills throughout the day meant for uninterrupted track time which allowed Crawford the opportunity to complete a variety of short and long runs to understand the car and tyres more.
The test is the latest step in the Young Driver Development programme for Crawford, currently 11th in the F2 standings, who will continue to join Aston Martin at race events to observe and learn from the race drivers and team. He will also continue supporting race operations with frequent simulator work at the AMR Technology Campus.
His focus now turns back to F2 as he prepares for round six in Barcelona on 21-23 June.
"A big thank you to everyone at Aston Martin who has helped to make this happen and for their support at the test," said Crawford. "My first day in an F1 car was a great experience and I enjoyed every lap. It was a clean and smooth day for us with no issues and we completed all the running that we wanted to. The main goal for me was to get up to speed and get used to the systems of the car.
"It was a learning process for me and in the end, it was nothing like I've ever driven before, especially in the high speed sections. I feel like I adapted quite well and I'm excited for the next one."
"It is always a special moment seeing a young driver complete their first laps in a Formula One car," added Robert Sattler, Aston Martin Formula One Team Evolution Programme Director. "After a full day of running Jak has gained some valuable experience that he can take forward into his other tests in the programme. We know that the switch in driving style between F2 to F1 is not easy, but Jak adapted to the car quickly and he worked well with the team to improve as the day progressed."