Karun Chandhok admits he’s ‘surprised and disappointed’ 23-year-old doesn’t have F1 drive for 2024

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Pundit Karun Chandhok has admitted he’s surprised that Aston Martin reserve driver Felipe Drugovich hasn’t secured a seat in Formula 1.

Chandhok was speaking on the Sky Sports F1 Podcast about the young Brazilian.

On the list of drivers righting to get into F1 right now, Felipe Drugovich has to be near the very top.

The 23-year-old handed his Formula 2 crown to Theo Pourchaire at the weekend while racing for Aston Martin in free practice in Abu Dhabi.

Drugovich was sensational at that level in 2022, earning him the reserve driver role at Aston Martin.

When called upon by the team he’s performed well but once again it looks like the door has shut on his chances of making the step up into one of 20 spots on the F1 grid.

Drugovich has already responded to the idea of potentially replacing Logan Sargeant on the Formula 1 grid at Williams, and Chandhok believes he’s ready to take a permanent race seat.

We almost saw Drugovich in action this year when Lance Stroll suffered an injury at the start of the year.

He took part in pre-season testing, but the Canadian recovered in time to drive in the season opened in Bahrain.

Chandhok disappointed Drugovich isn’t in Formula 1 yet

Talking about the conundrum young drivers face right now, Chandhok said: “It’s a really strange feeling when you’re doing F2 or GP2 as I was doing at the time.

“As you’re coming to the middle of the season, you’re all hunting around, there’s five or six of you all hunting around.

“Timing becomes so critical because you’re heavily reliant on people from the F1 paddock leaving basically.

“If you were looking at Drugovich or Lawson, they’re drivers who finished ahead of Sargeant for example in F2, so they probably do feel like they deserve an opportunity on the grid.

“Drugovich did a really good job in FP1 [in Abu Dhabi], he was there on the time sheets second quickest behind George Russell and did a good job in every other time we’ve seen him in an F1 car, he’s the F2 champion.

“So, I’m a little bit surprised and disappointed he hasn’t had an opportunity already in F1 and maybe there’s a conversation there.”

As Chandhok suggests whenever Drugovich has driven a Formula 1 car he’s looked quick.

The trouble for him right now is Lance Stroll is unlikely to be going anywhere while Fernando Alonso appears to be just as quick as he was when he was challenging for world championships.

It means the Brazilian might have to look for opportunities at other teams but they all have their own academies as well.

Drugovich may have to pursue a race seat elsewhere just to keep his instincts sharp in case the call finally comes.