Written by Lujan Garcia, Edited by Jann Erin Castro
Some of the unsung heroes of Formula One are the reserve drivers who come to the team’s rescue for emergency driver swaps, technical development, promotions, sponsorships and more. Read more about the role of reserve drivers below.
Franco Colapinto, Oliver Bearman, Antonio Giovinazzi, Felipe Drugovich, Mick Schumacher — these names probably sound familiar and have one thing in common, as they all share the same role: Reserve drivers.
Most people pay little attention to reserve drivers in Formula One since they don’t take center stage during race weekends like the main drivers do. However, they play an essential role within their respective teams.
Every team has at least one reserve driver. Oftentimes, they come from the junior team, or the team’s equivalent in other motorsport series, and have proven their worthiness at a shot in F1.
Take for example Drugovich, one of the longest running Aston Martin Racing Driver Academy drivers, who currently serves as the team’s reserve driver.
Another is Pato O’Ward who races for the McLaren outfit in IndyCar alongside being one of the team’s reserve drivers.
Other times, a reserve driver is a former F1 driver who no longer has a full-time seat but still has the potential and skills to contribute to a team.
An example of this case is Giovinazzi who formerly drove for Alfa Romeo but is now the reserve driver of Ferrari.
Another is Colapinto who, despite racing for nine rounds in the 2024 season, has not secured a full-time F1 for 2025 but will join Alpine as one of their reserve drivers.
As the name suggests, a reserve driver is responsible for replacing a main driver if something prevents them from racing, such as an injury, illness, race bans or any other issue.
The most recent example is Ferrari reserve driver Bearman stepping in for Carlos Sainz at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix when the Spanish driver had to undergo surgery for appendicitis.
Despite having just locked in pole position for Sunday’s Formula 2 feature race, Bearman immediately jumped from the F2 paddock to F1 as soon as he received the call.
Reserve drivers can also be a reserve for two teams. This is commonly seen amongst Red Bull reserve drivers who are also reserves for their sister team Visa Cash App RB.
Bearman is a prime example of a reserve driver — even having been dubbed as the “most employed reserve driver” by the fans — who filled in for two teams within a season.
As part of the Ferrari Driver Academy, Bearman enjoyed the privilege of being a reserve driver for both Ferrari and Ferrari-powered Haas.
Following his quick stint in Saudi Arabia, Bearman had the opportunity to step in for Kevin Magnussen in Haas during the Azerbaijan Grand Prix and the Brazilian Grand Prix due to a race ban and illness, respectively.
Bearman stepping up to a full-time seat in 2025 with Haas is an example of one of the clear pathways drivers can take in their journey to F1 — performing well as a junior driver, serving as a reserve driver and stepping up to F1.
The announcement of Argentine driver Colapinto joining Alpine as their reserve driver has generated a wave of excitement both in his home country and among his fans.
As a former Williams Academy driver, Colapinto stepped up to take Logan Sargeant’s seat for a nine-race stint with the team.
With Sainz already confirmed with Williams for the 2025 season, Colapinto’s options in F1 seemed to dwindle.
The announcement of him moving to Alpine came as a shock to many, as fans expected him to continue with Williams as a reserve driver — not to mention, joining Alpine would make him their third reserve driver.
Regardless of team, Argentine fans of the sport have shown their support and joy over Colapinto remaining ties with F1, holding onto hope that he would have the opportunity to have a seat once again.
This move highlights the importance of reserve drivers in F1 and the pride that nations feel when their talents achieve recognition on such a prestigious stage.
But you might be wondering — what exactly is the role of a reserve driver beyond replacing a main driver when needed?
They split their time between the racetracks and the factory. Reserve drivers contribute to the team's technical development, primarily using simulators.
Since they are only allowed to use the main car in a single or a few chosen free practice sessions throughout the year, their primary work involves the simulator, which is incredibly similar to the actual car.
Modern simulators are so advanced that the virtual tracks are nearly identical to their real-life counterparts, allowing reserve drivers to familiarize themselves with the circuits perfectly in case they are called to race.
Reserve drivers attend all team meetings during race weekends with the main drivers, enabling them to stay up-to-date on car adjustments, initial configurations, and other technical changes.
They also maintain close communication with engineers, sharing insights from the simulator that could be valuable in real-world scenarios.
Throughout the weekend, reserve drivers stay in the garage wearing headphones to stay informed about everything happening on track.
Even if they’re not racing, they must always be ready to jump into the car at a moment’s notice.
An important regulation to take into account, is that in F1, once qualifying is over, a driver cannot be replaced. This means the reserve driver's on-site responsibilities effectively end after qualifying.
For example, if a driver takes part in qualifying but encounters an issue before Sunday’s race, the reserve driver is no longer allowed to step in and the team would have to run with only one car.
During the race, reserve drivers observe the car’s and driver’s performance and stay in communication with engineers. However, their work doesn’t stop there. After the race weekend, they return to the factory to continue working on the simulator.
In addition to their technical and driving duties, reserve drivers must also participate in team promotional and sponsorship events. This includes product launches, talks, or marketing campaigns.
Reserve drivers are far more than stand-ins; they are integral to a team's performance, working hard behind the scenes to ensure success on race day and beyond.
Their expertise in simulators, technical development,and readiness to step in, showcases their critical role in Formula 1.
While they may not always be in the spotlight, their contributions are vital to the team as they are one more little piece that contributes to the victory of the team.
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