The young Estonian Paul Aron (20 years old), third in the FIA F2 championship, experienced his baptism of fire in F1 at the rookie test in Abu Dhabi with Alpine where he will succeed Jack Doohan as a reserve.
To replace its Australian test driver next season, Alpine has set its sights on Paul Aron (photo above) to the detriment of a member of its academy like Victor Martins.
It is true that the Estonian hopeful is a protégé of team principal Oliver Oakes who recruited him to his Hitech GP team in Formula 2 before taking the reins of the French team.
First experience in F1
Aron was therefore summoned by Alpine to take his first steps in F1 at the wheel of the A524 during the rookie test in Abu Dhabi, Doohan being responsible for Pirelli testing on the other car, and the two men signed a similar time although in different programs.
“I had a great day getting behind the wheel of a Formula 1 car for the first time in Abu Dhabi, so I thank the team for this opportunity, Paul said.
Like any driver new to F1, I now realize how fast these cars are and it was great fun to drive the A524 today.”
Doohan grateful to the team
“A lot of things had to get used to, but in the end everything went well on a physical level, he assures.
Even after 121 laps, I still wanted to do more. We managed to complete our entire program. The engineers were happy, the pace seemed good, so I think it was a successful day overall. There is a lot to learn and I am already looking forward to my role as reserve pilot to continue my personal development in 2025.”
“We tested the Pirelli tires for 2025, with a lot of interesting data and feedback to give,
Jack analyzes from the other side of the garage. A huge thank you to the mechanics and engineers who did an exceptional job today. It's been a long season for everyone, and I have a lot of gratitude for their efforts on this last day of racing this year.”
