Fernando Alonso will not participate in the first practice session for the Hungarian Grand Prix as he is managing a back injury, Aston Martin has announced.
Felipe Drugovich, the team’s reserve driver, will fill in for him. No decision has been taken yet on whether Alonso will participate in the rest of the event.
“In the days following the Belgian Grand Prix, Fernando Alonso has been managing a muscular injury in his back,” said Aston Martin in a statement. “As he continues with treatment this morning, he has chosen to sit out of FP1.
“Felipe Drugovich will drive in FP1 alongside Lance Stroll.
“A decision will then be made on Fernando’s participation in FP2 and the remainder of the weekend in due course.”
This will be the second time Drugovich has replaced Alonso during first practice this year. The 2022 Formula 2 champion previously drove Alonso’s car in Bahrain as part of the team’s requirement to run inexperienced drivers on four occasions during the course of the season.
However, unlike on that occasion, Drugovich’s latest appearance for the team will not count as one of Aston Martin’s junior driver runs. This is because F1’s regulations state: “Each competitor must advise the FIA in writing seven days prior to the start of the relevant competition with the details of the driver that they will use.” Aston Martin were unable to give sufficient notice on this occasion.
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If Alonso’s injury requires more time to heal, Aston Martin could substitute him again in the second and third practice sessions. However a driver cannot be substituted after they have taken part in qualifying.
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F1 teams’ junior practice drivers in 2025
Teams ran the following junior drivers in order to complete their obligation to give practice opportunities to inexperienced racers:
Team
Car
Event
Practice driver
Event
Practice driver
McLaren
4
Austrian Grand Prix
Alex Dunne
Mexican Grand Prix
Pato O’Ward (car TBC)
81
Ferrari
16
Bahrain Grand Prix
Dino Beganovic
Austrian Grand Prix
Dino Beganovic
44
Red Bull
1
Bahrain Grand Prix
Ayumu Iwasa
22/30
British Grand Prix
Arvid Lindblad
Mercedes
12
Australian Grand Prix
Andrea Kimi Antonelli
Chinese Grand Prix
Andrea Kimi Antonelli
63
Bahrain Grand Prix
Frederik Vesti
Aston Martin
14
Bahrain Grand Prix
Felipe Drugovich
18
Alpine
7/43
Australian Grand Prix
Jack Doohan
Chinese Grand Prix
Jack Doohan
10
Haas
31
Spanish Grand Prix
Ryo Hirakawa
Mexican Grand Prix
Ryo Hirakawa
87
Bahrain Grand Prix
Ryo Hirakawa
Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
Ryo Hirakawa
Racing Bulls
6
Australian Grand Prix
Isack Hadjar
Chinese Grand Prix
Isack Hadjar
30/22
Williams
23
Spanish Grand Prix
Victor Martins
55
Bahrain Grand Prix
Luke Browning
Sauber
5
Australian Grand Prix
Gabriel Bortoleto
Chinese Grand Prix
Gabriel Bortoleto
27
British Grand Prix
Paul Aron
Hungarian Grand Prix
Paul Aron
2025 Hungarian Grand Prix
Browse all 2025 Hungarian Grand Prix articles