Jak Crawford to drive in FP1 at Austrian Grand Prix

Aston Martin Aramco Formula One Team has confirmed that Third Driver Jak Crawford will participate in Free Practice One at the Austrian Grand Prix, driving Lance Stroll's AMR26 at the Red Bull Ring.

The session will mark Jak's fourth FP1 appearance for the team and his second of the 2026 season. It also represents the second of the team's four mandated rookie practice sessions this year.

Fresh from completing a Pirelli tyre test with the team in Barcelona earlier this week, Jak will return to the cockpit in Austria, a circuit he knows well through previous testing programmes and his FIA Formula 2 and Formula 3 campaigns, where he claimed victories in both categories.

The outing also comes two years after Jak's first experience in an Aston Martin Aramco Formula One car, when he tested the AMR22 at the Red Bull Ring in June 2024. Since then, the American has become an integral part of the team's driver development programme and has accumulated more than 3,800 kilometres in Formula One machinery, placing him as one of the most experienced young drivers outside the current Formula One grid.

Jak Crawford, Third Driver, Aston Martin Aramco Formula One Team, said:

"It's great to have another opportunity to drive the AMR26 during a race weekend. Austria is a circuit I know well and it's quite special to be returning to the Red Bull Ring with the team, almost two years after my first test in an Aston Martin F1 car.

"I've spent a lot of time in the simulator this season supporting the team and recently completed the tyre test in Barcelona, so I'm looking forward to applying that work on track. Every opportunity in a Formula One car is valuable, and I'll be focused on delivering useful feedback and maximising the session for the team."

Mike Krack, Chief Trackside Officer, Aston Martin Aramco Formula One Team, said:

"Jak continues to play an important role as Third Driver, and this FP1 session is another valuable step in that process. He has been heavily involved in our simulator programme throughout the season and recently completed productive running during the Pirelli tyre test in Barcelona. Austria provides another opportunity for us to evaluate his progress in a race weekend environment while gathering valuable data for the team."