Aston Martin confirmed that American Jak Crawford will serve as the Formula 1 team’s third driver for the 2026 season.

A member of the team’s development program since 2024 after a stint as a Red Bull F1 junior, Crawford is currently second in a tight Formula 2 battle this season, 19 points behind Leonardo Fornaroli with two races remaining.

The 20-year-old North Carolina native also made his F1 grand prix weekend debut in an FP1 appearance in Mexico City last week.

“I’m incredibly proud to be confirmed as the Third Driver for 2026,” Crawford said. “It’s a huge moment in my journey with Aston Martin and a big motivation to keep learning and contributing.

“Over the past two seasons, I’ve learned so much from being in the Formula 1 environment, both at the factory and trackside. I’ll be doing everything I can to support the team and continue developing as a driver.”

Crawford will serve as the reserve driver behind Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll, replacing Felipe Drugovich in the position.

“It is great to see Jak progress to become our Third Driver for 2026,” team principal Andy Cowell said. “Over the past two years, he has shown his value as a key member of our driver squad and built up a valuable bank of experience and test mileage.

“Jak has impressed in the simulator, having completed regular sessions at the AMR Technology Campus to support our race operations and car development. Jak’s performances in Formula 2 have also been outstanding, and we are excited to continue supporting his growth as he takes on a bigger role.”