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Jak Crawford and Victor Martins will both be involved in this weekend’s Formula 1 Belgian Grand Prix, but in distinctly different capacities. Crawford will drive Aston Martin’s AMR26 in Friday’s first practice session at Spa-Francorchamps, while Martins will serve as Williams’ Reserve Driver.
For Crawford, the session represents his third FP1 appearance of the 2026 season, following earlier outings in Japan and Austria. He will replace Fernando Alonso for the second time this year, continuing his work as Aston Martin’s Test and Reserve driver.
The Spa session also leaves Crawford with one further opportunity under the FIA’s mandated requirements for young-driver FP1 appearances. Aston Martin confirmed the decision in a short statement.
“We’re pleased to share that Jak Crawford will be back in the AMR26 this weekend at the Belgian GP for FP1, marking his third Free Practice 1 appearance of the season,” the team said.
“Jak will replace Fernando as part of the team’s four mandated rookie practice sessions this year.”
Crawford’s recent Aston Martin activity has not been limited to the current-generation car. Over the weekend, he also drove last season’s AMR25 up the famous Goodwood Hill, adding another public run to his development programme.
Spa’s first competitive running will be particularly relevant in a weekend already attracting attention for the demands of the circuit. Fernando Alonso has warned that F1 cars could be slower than Formula 2 machinery on the track’s long straights; read more in Alonso warns F1 cars could be slower than F2 on Spa’s straights.
Martins will step in for Luke Browning, who is racing in Round 4 of the Super Formula Championship in Japan. It will be Martins’ second trackside Reserve Driver assignment of the season, after he performed the same role at the 2026 Canadian Grand Prix.
Williams said Martins joined its Driver Academy in 2025 before moving into the Test & Development Driver role in 2026. He has been working with Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz from the factory, contributing to car development and setup refinement during race weekends.
Unlike Crawford, Martins will not drive in Belgium. His most recent FP1 appearance came at the 2025 Spanish Grand Prix, meaning his Spa weekend will focus exclusively on reserve duties and his ongoing development work with Williams.
He’s a software engineer with a deep passion for Formula 1 and motorsport. He co-founded Formula Live Pulse to make live telemetry and race insights accessible, visual, and easy to follow.
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