Drugovich hopes Le Mans debut "opens some doors" as future remains unclear

Aston Martin Formula 1 reserve Felipe Drugovich hopes his Le Mans 24 Hours debut will “open some doors”, as he debates remaining in sportscar racing or returning to single-seaters.

Drugovich made his first appearance in the French endurance classic last weekend as he joined Action Express Racing at the wheel of a factory Cadillac V-Series.R in the Hypercar class.

Together with IMSA SportsCar Championship regulars Pipo Derani and Jack Aitken, he finished 15th in class after Derani heavily damaged the #311 Cadillac in a crash at Indianapolis in the 19th hour.

Asked if he sees his future in formula cars or prototypes in the wake of his maiden outing in an LMDh prototype, Drugovich told Autosport: “I don't know yet.

“For sure I enjoyed [Le Mans] really a lot. It's a really cool world and I'm enjoying it.

“Also, this race can sometimes open me some doors. We will see what is going to happen. For the moment I'm really happy with the opportunities I have.”

Drugovich’s La Sarthe outing with Cadillac was the highlight of his 2024 campaign, which includes a full-season with the Vector Sport LMP2 squad.

As things stand, he is not lined up to compete in any more WEC or IMSA races with Cadillac.

#311 Whelen Cadillac Racing Cadillac V-Series.R: Pipo Derani, Jack Aitken, Felipe Drugovich

Photo by: Emanuele Clivati | AG Photo

That is despite the General Motors brand having signed only two drivers for the full-season in its sole Hypercar entry, with the last remaining seat to be decided on a race-by-race basis or left completely vacant for shorter events.

The 2022 Formula 2 champion made it clear he is keen on competing in more endurance races in the near future, saying “these 24 hour races have always been kind of a dream for me so I’m really happy [to take part in them].”

Drugovich spent the 2023 season on the sidelines following his title success in F2, as he elected to focus on his test and reserve duties with Aston Martin in F1.

After failing to find a spot on this year’s F1 grid, he announced a switch to sportscar racing in the ELMS, while maintaining that he hasn’t lost sight of his F1 dream.

Drugovich, who also tested a Maserati Formula E car for a second time in Berlin last month, said his racing juices have started flowing again after a year out of competitive action.

“I was buzzing to get back racing again this year and so happy to be back doing ELMS and especially [Le Mans], this is something impressive,” he said.

“It's just a massive opportunity given from Cadillac. It's not everywhere that a manufacturer puts a rookie driver into a hypercar, especially at Le Mans. So very grateful to them.”