Drugovich “Fully Focused” on AXR Amid Stroll F1 Rumors

Action Express Racing driver Felipe Drugovich has said he is “fully focused” on the 24 Hours of Le Mans amid recent speculation he could be called up to replace the injured Lance Stroll for next weekend’s Formula 1 Canadian Grand Prix.

Drugovich is set for his second start in the FIA World Endurance Championship blue riband at the wheel of the Whelen-branded No. 311 Cadillac V-Series.R, having made his La Sarthe debut with the same team in last year’s race.

However, Stroll being forced to miss last weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix due to a wrist injury has raised speculation that Aston Martin may be forced to call up its reserve driver Drugovich to race in Montreal, on the same weekend as Le Mans.

Drugovich didn’t deny the possibility that he could be drafted in to sub for Stroll in Canada, but says that he is adopting the mindset that he will be in the cockpit of the No. 311 Cadillac alongside Jack Aitken and Frederik Vesti come next Saturday.

“I’m really happy to be here again,” Drugovich told reporters on Friday during scrutineering in Le Mans. “Since last year, I’ve told everyone that it’s the best race ever.

“I hope this year goes a bit more according to plan, a bit better than last year. I’m really happy anyway to be here, driving this car, it’s really satisfying to drive it around Le Mans.”

On the possibility of replacing Stroll, Drugovich added: “There is a chance for everything in life, but I don’t know what is going to happen. For the moment I am fully focused here. And that’s the approach I need to have.

“If I keep thinking about [other] possibilities, I would just go crazy and not focus on anything. I prefer to take it normally as if nothing has happened in the past two weeks.”

However, Drugovich clarified that he would be Aston Martin’s first choice to replace Stroll in the event the latter cannot participate in his home race.

Deletraz “Happy” in LMP2: “I Don’t Want to Step Out Last-Minute”

In the event that Drugovich was to miss Le Mans, the most likely replacement in the lineup of the No. 311 car would be Wayne Taylor Racing Cadillac IMSA regular Louis Deletraz, who is present at Le Mans with the AO by TF squad in LMP2.

However, Deletraz insists that such a prospect “has not been talked about” and says he is more than content racing in the secondary prototype class together with his European Le Mans Series teammates PJ Hyett and Dane Cameron.

“I don’t know for a fact, but I am pretty sure Felipe will race at Le Mans,” Deletraz told Sportscar365. “From my understanding, I am racing in LMP2 and I am happy to do so.

“It’s a car that I enjoy a lot, and that we can win with, so I am really excited. When I commit to something, I do it properly and I don’t want to step out last-minute.”

Deletraz was listed as an additional driver in the No. 101 WTR Cadillac for this weekend’s test day, but the Swiss driver has clarified he won’t be driving, instead focusing on his primary commitments for AO by TF on Sunday.

“There were discussions a long time ago about doing the test day, but I think it was some paperwork that was done months ago and I just stayed on the list,” he said.

Cadillac has stressed that there is no official reserve for its roster of Hypercar teams this year — in contrast to the 2024 race, when it lined up Tristan Vautier as a back-up driver.