Jak Crawford to replace Fernando Alonso for FP1 at the Belgian Grand Prix. Aston Martin hands Jak Crawford another FP1 outing at the Belgian GP.

Aston Martin confirms Jak Crawford for Spa FP1 as Fernando Alonso steps aside

Aston Martin will make a minor change to its driver line-up for the opening free practice session at the Belgian Grand Prix, with reserve driver Jak Crawford set to replace Fernando Alonso during FP1 at Spa-Francorchamps.

The appearance forms part of Formula 1’s regulation requiring every team to field a rookie driver in at least four Free Practice 1 sessions throughout the season.

For the American driver, who finished runner-up in last year’s Formula 2 championship, this will be his third FP1 outing of the 2026 campaign after previous appearances at Suzuka and the Red Bull Ring.

Crawford continues Aston Martin’s rookie programme

Fernando Alonso also handed over his Aston Martin seat to Jak Crawford during the Japanese Grand Prix weekend, meaning Spa will mark the Spaniard’s final rookie-driver substitution of the 2026 season. The team’s remaining mandatory FP1 rookie appearance is expected to come later this year, when Lance Stroll will temporarily step aside for the reserve driver.

Overall, this will be Jak Crawford’s fifth Formula 1 race weekend involvement. In addition to his three FP1 appearances this season, he also drove during the 2025 Mexico City and Abu Dhabi Grand Prix weekends, before taking part in the post-season rookie test at Yas Marina.

Crucial weeks ahead for Aston Martin

The next two race weekends could prove decisive for Aston Martin’s short-term future. Technical mastermind Adrian Newey has designed a significant B-spec version of the team’s Formula 1 car, which is scheduled to make its competitive debut at the Hungarian Grand Prix.

The updated package is expected to deliver a meaningful improvement in performance, making the Belgian Grand Prix potentially the final difficult weekend before the team’s major upgrade arrives.

For Fernando Alonso, the effectiveness of those developments could have an important influence on his long-term plans. The two-time Formula 1 World Champion is expected to use the upgraded car to assess Aston Martin’s competitiveness heading into the next generation of regulations. At this stage of his career, the Spaniard needs tangible results on track rather than future promises, with his outlook for 2027 likely to depend on whether the team’s latest technical package delivers the anticipated step forward.