Felipe Drugovich will become a full-time Formula E driver with Andretti this coming season as reported by The Race today. It’s a move that has felt inevitable for some time and one now that is done and dusted.
Drugovich will be a very accomplished driver in Formula E for several reasons. Firstly he is intelligent and has a natural capacity to drive in multi-channels, meaning that he can compartmentalise the actual racing with receiving and giving feedback on what is happening in his car.
Secondly, Drugovich is a natural and decisive racer. He proved this in his cameo with Mahindra at Berlin Tempelhof just eight weeks ago. It should never be underestimated how hard it is to get points on your debut, let alone one where you’ve had minimal testing and preparation.
The Brazilian will of course take time to get up to speed in relation to his vastly experienced and super Formula E gifted teammate Jake Dennis. But ultimately he will likely become the 2023 champions biggest test yet at Andretti.
Speaking to Formula E Notebook in early July just before his Tempelhof preparation, Drugovich acknowledged himself that a full-time race programme was the clear goal for 2026, something that is about to become officially confirmed.
“I’ve had my almost opportunities many times in Formula One in these two, almost three years,” he said.
“And it’s been close so many times and that’s the reason why I never really signed anything, just to try to get any opportunity I wanted to get in Formula One.
“For next year, whatever happens, whatever category I will be in, I want to be racing fully and that’s something I need at the moment. Technically, mentally, I think I need to get back racing and have a routine, rather than just be waiting for calls.”
Looking further ahead the 2022 F2 champion will, a total disaster of a 2026 apart, be a big presence in Gen4 Formula E racing. The high likelihood is that there will be an option on his services for 2026-27 and beyond and his technical acuity will be a powerful part of Andretti’s potential preparation for Gen4 and whoever they partner with. Nissan is the acknowledged hot favourite right now.
Drugovich himself is direct when he evaluates the F1 and Formula E conundrum for young drivers, especially the perception of Formula E and how that may change with the quicker Gen4 cars coming.
“If I have to be completely honest, one of the reasons why drivers maybe overlook a little bit Formula E, is actually because of the performance of the cars,” he said.
“I think any driver will always get more pleasure driving a faster car and I think this jump will actually make it a lot more interesting for the drivers and hopefully for the fans as well. “Formula E is already quite interesting to watch the races as we have big fights throughout every race, so that’s a good thing for the for the fans, and hopefully they don’t lose that within the new Gen 4, but at the same time, I think for the drivers it will be a lot more pleasant.”
Drugovich is finally progressing with his career. It may take him a few months, as it did with Buemi, Vergne, Evans, Cassidy and da Costa to let the F1 dreams fade and be exorcised. But once he does Formula E’s next winner will start to make his mark.
