HOUSTON, Texas — Aston Martin Aramco Formula One Team announced Monday that 18-year-old American Jak Crawford has inked a development deal with the team.
The development deal comes on the heels of Crawford landing a new FIA F-2 contract for this year with DAMS, the exclusive F-2 racing team based near LeMans, France.
“Jak had a very productive four years being contracted to Red Bull, and we saw this move to Aston Martin as a way to put Jak into an intimate F-1 driver development role,” said Rick Gorne, Crawford’s U.K.-based motorsports consultant. “We believe that the road to F-1 is evolving.
“We wanted smart, purposeful driver development with significant car opportunities and that is what Aston Martin will deliver for Jak.”
The program will establish, not only, a work environment for Crawford in the Aston Martin Aramco Formula One simulator, but also, will provide the young driver with testing of previous F-1 car time, as well as multiple current F-1 car sessions over a two-year period.
Crawford’s role in the team will be varied including serving as a brand ambassador, as well as a reserve and sim driver.
“Jak made a very positive impression with his extensive work in the 2023 F-1 simulator for Red Bull, and that was an important building block for this agreement,” said Gorne. “Jak has built up an accomplished reputation on F-1 sim machinery as a very fast, consistent driver with exceptional feedback for car development. This experience has become a valuable part of Jak’s resume and plays a part in his new role.
“However, the first priority will always be on Jak’s F-2 season.”
Crawford has recently completed his first year in FIA F-2 with Hitech GP. In racing, a season is best judged by comparing teammate-to-teammate. In the case of Crawford in 2023, he won in every category — season ending championship order, head-to-head qualifying positions, race pace, points-paying wins, podiums and poles.
“Jak has pure pace talent in any sim or car,” said Gorne. “There were only seven pole position drivers in F2 in 2023. Six of the drivers were in the top four championship finishing teams, and those drivers were in the top six finishing positions. Jak was the only other pole man.” Gorne continues, “It is a spec series, but we all know the teams are not equal. Considering this, Jak was an outstanding rookie in 2023 in our estimation.”
FIA F-2 staged the traditional 2023 end-of-season test in late November. Crawford’s three-day test with his new DAMS team provided great hope for the upcoming season.
The qualifying pace was evident and the race pace was even better. For this year, Crawford will focus on second year consistency while attacking the F-2 championship.