Aston Martin Confirms Jak Crawford for FP1 at 2026 Austrian Grand Prix, Stroll Steps Aside
Aston Martin has confirmed that third driver Jak Crawford will replace Lance Stroll in Free Practice 1 at the 2026 Austrian Grand Prix. It is Crawford's fourth FP1 outing for the team, his second of the 2026 season, and ticks off the second of Aston Martin's four mandated rookie practice slots. Stroll returns to the AMR26 from FP2 onward.
Crawford called up for Stroll's seat in opening session
Aston Martin Aramco has confirmed that third driver Jak Crawford will take the wheel of Lance Stroll's AMR26 during Free Practice 1 at the Austrian Grand Prix, with the announcement made on 19 June 2026. [1] Stroll will return to the cockpit from FP2 onward for the remainder of the Red Bull Ring weekend. [1]
The outing is Crawford's fourth FP1 appearance for the Silverstone-based team overall and his second of the 2026 season, following an earlier stint in Japan at Suzuka. [2] It also registers the second of Aston Martin's four mandated rookie practice runs required under current FIA regulations. [3]
Regulation context: the mandatory rookie slots
Under F1 sporting rules, each registered race driver must hand their car to an eligible young driver for at least two FP1 sessions per season, with that young driver required to have started no more than two grands prix. [3] Crawford's Austria appearance means both Stroll and Fernando Alonso will each owe one further FP1 slot before the season closes. [3]
Crawford's history with the Red Bull Ring
The 21-year-old American arrives at a circuit he knows well from his junior-category career, having secured victories in both Formula 3 and Formula 2 at the venue. [4] The Red Bull Ring also holds additional significance for Crawford because it was the location of his very first test in an Aston Martin Formula 1 car, held in June 2024. [1]
Crawford came into the weekend with recent on-track mileage in the AMR26 after completing a Pirelli tyre test with the team in Barcelona earlier in the week. [3] Chief Trackside Officer Mike Krack noted that Austria would give the team another opportunity to evaluate Crawford's progress "in a race weekend environment while gathering valuable data for the team." [4]
:::analysis Crawford's trajectory through the Aston Martin development programme is worth watching in the medium term. His accumulation of FP1 sessions, combined with an intensive simulator schedule and a Pirelli tyre test, represents a structured path toward race readiness. With the team's 2027 driver lineup not yet settled publicly, continued FP1 outings keep his profile visible at a time when that matters.
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Related reading
[1]: Aston Martin Aramco Formula One Team, "Jak Crawford to drive in FP1 at Austrian Grand Prix," astonmartinf1.com, accessed 2026-06-19. https://www.astonmartinf1.com/en-GB/news/announcement/jak-crawford-to-drive-in-fp1-at-austrian-grand-prix [2]: Formula1.com, "Crawford to get another FP1 outing with Aston Martin in Austria," formula1.com, accessed 2026-06-19. https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/crawford-to-get-another-fp1-outing-with-aston-martin-in-austria.7bYOHaQgDjCUiBtjRSsU1I [3]: RacingNews365, "Aston Martin announce driver change for Austrian GP first practice," racingnews365.com, accessed 2026-06-19. https://racingnews365.com/aston-martin-announce-driver-change-for-austrian-gp-first-practice [4]: RACER, "Crawford to get next Aston Martin FP1 run in Austria," racer.com, accessed 2026-06-19. https://racer.com/2026/06/19/crawford-to-get-next-aston-martin-fp1-run-in-austria
- [1]Jak Crawford to drive in FP1 at Austrian Grand Prix (aston-martin-f1). Accessed 2026-06-19.
- [2]Crawford to get another FP1 outing with Aston Martin in Austria (formula1). Accessed 2026-06-19.
- [3]Aston Martin announce driver change for Austrian GP first practice (racingnews365). Accessed 2026-06-19.
- [4]Crawford to get next Aston Martin FP1 run in Austria (racer). Accessed 2026-06-19.