Primed to jump behind the wheel should Lance or Fernando be unable to, Aston Martin Aramco reserve drivers Stoffel Vandoorne and Felipe Drugovich are waiting in the wings – but there's more to their role than meets the eye. If you've ever wondered what an F1 reserve driver actually does during a race week, Stoffel has the answers...
More than just a super-sub.
Stoffel Vandoorne attends around half the Formula One Grands Prix our team travels to as our test and reserve driver, and next up for him is next week's United States Grand Prix.
Providing an extra layer of driver insight in engineering debriefs and always 'on call' if required to replace drivers Lance Stroll or Fernando Alonso in the cockpit, Stoffel reveals what a race week in the life of a reserve driver entails and lifts the lid on what he'll be doing throughout the week in Austin.
PRE-RACE WEEKEND: IN THE SIM
"I start race week in the simulator at the AMR Technology Campus. The team conducts baseline setup work for the upcoming Grand Prix and, in the case of a double- or triple-header, we complete some correlation work from the previous race to cross-reference the data we picked up with what the simulator is providing.
"Because the races come thick and fast and we're travelling a lot, I don't spend a huge amount of time in the simulator during race week. We need to maximise the time we do have, so we cover the basics before heading to a Grand Prix and prioritise signing them off over the finer details.
"We try to establish a solid foundation in terms of car setup that we can then fine-tune once the on-track action begins. As a team, we already have a good idea as to what's required at different circuits; for example, an ultra-low downforce setup for Monza or a very high-downforce setup for the Hungaroring, and we can start to build a picture of how the AMR24 might behave on any given weekend by applying those parameters.
"However, nothing compares to the car being on track and it's only then that you can start making finer adjustments to things like rear wing level, front wing angle, ride heights and more.
"Being in the sim also gives me the opportunity get up to speed with the circuit we're travelling to, just in case I'm required to replace Lance or Fernando in the car."
THURSDAY: SETTING THE SCENE
"Thursday is our first day at the track and is the quietest. There's no on-track action and the focus is on media duties. Lance and Fernando field questions from the journalists on site, and I may also have some media requirements depending on the race. For example, in Spa, the local press is always eager to speak to me because it's my home Grand Prix.
"We also have our initial engineering meetings for the weekend. I attend everything that Lance and Fernando do because I need to be as informed as them in case I'm suddenly required to drive.
"The chances of the team needing me to replace Lance or Fernando are slim but if I get the call it's guaranteed it will be at the very last minute, so I ensure I'm 100 per cent prepared.
"The meeting on Thursday is usually a presentation from the engineers to the drivers that shows all the key learnings from last season's running at the track and a review of the previous round, plus anything new we need to know about the circuit we're at.
"We're always pushing to improve the car so if we've recently introduced any updates the engineers will also talk through what we've learned about them over the last few races.
"Similarly, when we're introducing new updates to the car at a particular race, the engineers will explain what we're aiming to achieve with them.
"We also go through intended run plans for Free Practice, initial car setup, and anything I may have picked up earlier in the week with the engineers in the simulator. I don't necessarily speak during the meeting, but beforehand I'll speak to the race engineers about what we've been working on in the sim so they can relay that information.
"Thursday sets the scene for the Grand Prix weekend."
FRIDAY: LISTENING CAREFULLY
"Friday is always exciting because it's the first time in the weekend that the cars go out on track.
"We see how our car is shaping up for the weekend, and during the two Free Practice sessions I listen to Lance and Fernando, either on the radio or when they're out of the car and in the garage, to hear their feedback. I'm largely listening at this stage, because they're the ones driving and they're giving as much information to the engineers as possible.
"Once Friday running is complete, the engineers are given some time to analyse and understand everything that's happened during the day. Later that night, you get feedback from them.
"Personally, I prefer to be given just some key points on Friday evening which you can sleep on. A night's sleep can really help; new ideas can form in your mind which you can share with the team in the morning."
SATURDAY: FINE-TUNING
"Much of Saturday's focus is on fine-tuning the car before Qualifying. You might get some additional feedback in the morning following Friday's analysis before Practice Three, and the final practice session is usually dedicated to low-fuel running so the drivers can get a good feel for how the car will be in Qualifying.
"Once Qualifying is underway you don't have a lot of time to think – it's really down to the engineer and the driver making quick calls.
"I watch the session in the garage, making mental notes. Once Qualifying is finished we study the data, and I'll join in the discussion about the areas of the circuit where we are strong or weak and point out what I've spotted during the session.
"Focus quickly switches to race day because now we know where we're going to be starting. We discuss strategy and objectives, but we don't go into too much detail – that's for Sunday."
SUNDAY: PROVIDING A UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE
"Race day begins with an in-depth strategy meeting in the morning.
"The strategists are amazing at putting numbers on factors like degradation and plotting the fastest way to the chequered flag, which they present to the wider team.
"Once that's calculated, the drivers can then have some input, for example, what their preference would be in terms of tyre strategy to try to best execute the race plan.
"In a way, my job finishes after Qualifying because the regulations state a driver replacement can't happen after that point. Nevertheless, during the race, I'm still watching closely in case I can help the team. I listen to the radio comms between the drivers and their engineers and if I spot things like a potential risk for a Safety Car, I mention it because it might influence strategy decisions.
"We have a fantastically talented team at the track and back in Mission Control at the AMR Technology Campus, who are all closely monitoring the on-track action, but as a driver I have a unique perspective. You have a much better overview of the race when you're outside the car thanks to all the screens in the garage and I can combine that data with my driving experience to predict how scenarios may unfold.
"Following the chequered flag, we have one final trackside debrief which includes reflecting on our race and how we fared against our competitors. We've been racing other cars on track for nearly two hours so it's a golden opportunity to see how our package compares."
POST- RACE WEEKEND: SWITCHING FOCUS
"After the race weekend, we may do a final debrief back at the AMR Technology Campus using the simulator for correlation work and for final reflections once the dust has settled after the Grand Prix, depending on time available.
"Focus quickly switches to the next round of the championship and, if I'm attending it with the team, the race week process starts over – and I'm ready to do it all again."
Get to know Stoffel
Stoffel set a blistering pace in prestigious junior categories on the road to F1, winning a third of the races on his way to the 2015 F2 title. He raced in F1 for two seasons before competing in Formula E where he clinched the title in only his third season in the category, before joining Aston Martin Aramco as Test and Reserve driver.
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