Alonso Bows Out, Crawford Takes Helm at Japanese GP

0:00On March 23rd, Fernando Alonzo is skipping free practice one at the Japanese Grand Prix, handing over his Aston Martin seat to Ricky Driver Jack. Crawford Formula 1 rules require each team to run a young driver with no more than two grand pre-starts and four practice sessions this season, two per car. Aston Martin is jumping in early, right after racing Bulls did it first. Crawford gets his third shot with a team after sessions in Mexico and Abu Dhabi last year. The 23-year-old American finished second in Formula 2 last season and now works as their third driver while chasing a full-time seat. Maybe as soon as next year, team boss Mike Crack praised Crawford's hard work in the simulator and said this run will help gather data and build experience. Crawford himself is thrilled to tackle the tough Suzuki track. Meanwhile, Aston Martin faces big challenges with their new Honda Power Unit, including vibrations that wreck batteries and limit race distance. They need more dyno time before the weekend to sort it out and get competitive again.

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