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Formula 2 championship leader Felipe Drugovich remains focused on a career in Formula 1 despite limited opportunities.
The Brazilian is poised to claim victory in this year’s F2 title race at Monza this weekend.
He sits 70 points clear at the top of the standings with two rounds remaining. With a maximum of 78 points on offer, he could wrap up the title following the Sprint race in Monza on Saturday.
While doing so will mark a significant achievement for the 22-year-old, it also poses something of a challenge. Winners of the Formula 2 Championship are unable to return to the category next season.
Drugovich has no association with any of the 10 Formula 1 teams, nor has he been linked with any of the available race drives next season.
It has, however, been suggested he could move Stateside into the IndyCar Series.
“We’re not looking very much into IndyCar,” he said when asked about racing in the United States by Speedcafe.com.
“I think we’re just trying to stay focused on F1; that’s my dream, my goal.
“I will try to get into that first of all. Obviously, IndyCar’s a great category, but at the moment I’m fully focused on F1.”
Drugovich believes that being a free agent with no allegiance to any Formula 1 team makes him an attractive proposition.
“Being in this position I think is actually quite good for me,” he reasoned.
“Obviously there is also the downsides that we’re not fully being pushed into that position into getting a seat because I’m not linked, but on the other hand, I’m completely free.
“So I think it’s a good thing.”
That does mean that, for now at least, he also does not have a drive for 2023 in any category as he continues to pursue a career in F1.
“Somehow, I’m going to be able to drive something next year. I still don’t know what it is,” he said.
“I think getting to F1 nowadays is very, very difficult and it’s looking that the opportunities for a main seat in F1 next year are obviously very limited.
“There’s still the potential reserve seats somewhere, so we need to try and look at that and to find maybe a reserve seat.
“And other than that, there are other categories that we can drive somewhere else.
“But for now, I’m just focused on this championship, trying to win this, and then hopefully this result might get me to F1 someday.”
