Felipe Drugovich insists he “knows his worth” having opted to switch to Formula E next year after a frustrating three years on the sidelines in F1.
Brazilian driver Drugovich, who won the 2022 F2 title before joining Aston Martin as a reserve driver, spent three largely frustrating years on the sidelines – as he told The Independent – and was unable to land a permanent spot on the F1 grid.
The 25-year-old impressed in various practice sessions and test outings, previously setting lap times quicker than Aston Martin race drivers Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll, but both of whom are signed on at Aston until the end of next year.
Other options, such as new team Cadillac, failed to materialise and therefore, Drugovich has decided to move to the all-electric world championship series Formula E, with Andretti.
“I got really close many, many times [to F1],” Drugovich said, following his move to Andretti. “It’s something I needed to keep for myself, know how much I’m worth and how much I can do on track. Hopefully, I can deliver in places that give me the opportunity.
“I’m happy I have this opportunity. It’s [Formula E] a championship of massive calibre and people are racing at really high levels. I’m really looking forward to the competition.
“It feels very good [to] finally get the rust a little bit off my body and get back to racing.”
Andretti won the Formula E drivers’ championship in 2023 with Jake Dennis and the British driver will be Drugovich’s teammate for the new season, which starts in Drugovich’s homeland, Brazil, on Saturday 6 December with the Sao Paulo ePrix.
Drugovich has raced at the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans event in the last two years, and competed in the European Le Mans Series in 2024, but has otherwise been short of competitive time on the track.
Asked what he will find tough in Formula E, Drugovich replied: “I think the stuff that is most difficult is just reading the races a little bit, how you need to manage the energy throughout every race and the way you’re racing and where you’re positioning the car in every corner.
“I need to be happy in the car. I need to be comfortable with the car. And I think also that can bring me a lot of good result, just being easy-going and in an enjoyable mindset.”
The 2025-26 Formula E season is the final campaign for the Gen3 Evo breed of car and will be an 18-round season starting in Sao Paulo on 6 December and ending at the ExCeL Centre in London on 16 August.
