Cian Shields reflected on his first Formula 1 Free Practice outing during a media session attended by Pit Debrief. He also discussed his growing relationship with Aston Martin. The British driver offered insight into how the opportunity came about. The British driver currently competes in the 2026 FIA F2 Championship. He has steadily built his single-seater career after progressing through karting and British Formula 4. He stepped up to F2 in 2024 and since then, he has continued to develop in a highly competitive grid. Shields gained valuable experience for his future and the F2 2026 season through his links with Aston Martin and the FP1 experience.
Shields on his FP1 experience with Aston Martin
As stated by Shields during the session, the opportunity to drive an Aston Martin during FP1 was both unexpected and rewarding, even if it did not directly translate into immediate gains in F2 performance.
“Yeah, I think obviously the FP1 was a great opportunity given to us by the guys at Aston Martins. So obviously it was very grateful for that and it came quite unexpected. We didn’t really expect it. But no, I think obviously the cars are quite different. The F1 car is obviously quite a good bit of machinery. But I think the new car this year, I think hopefully there’s some more FP1s coming and I do think that the new car this year is a little bit closer to what we drive in F2 compared to the old car as it was obviously quite a bit different because the car is obviously quite a bit more advanced than the Formula 1.”
Shields went on to emphasise the limited direct comparison between Formula 1 and Formula 2 machinery, despite the value of track time.
“So yeah, I think overall there’s not much kind of comparisons to F2 and F1. It’s quite a bit different. So yeah, I don’t really think it was… No, it didn’t benefit because obviously any day you do in any car it helps with any sort of driving. So yeah, I think overall it wasn’t the focus of doing that. It wasn’t to kind of improve the F2. That was just the kind of opportunity that came ahead.”
The experience of driving a Formula 1 car is often seen as a key milestone for young drivers. Shields made it clear that the primary value lay in the exposure rather than direct performance crossover.
Building a stronger relationship with Aston Martin
Alongside his on-track experience, Shields also discussed his ongoing relationship with Aston Martin. He highlighting the importance of the support he receives both during race weekends and behind the scenes.
“Yeah, I think obviously everyone kind of knows a bit more now that we’re kind of part of the Aston programme as it kind of got kept not secret, but it didn’t really obviously nothing got announced and all that kind of thing whenever we first joined them. So it was kind of just a behind the scenes, but obviously the guys at Aston are a great help. Anything I ever need or kind of want they can provide to me even on the race weekends prior. So yeah, I think having them kind of by my side is definitely a big benefit and just kind of on track support and also off track doing a lot of work at the factory and behind the scenes and stuff like that.”
This partnership places Shields within the growing ecosystem of young drivers linked to Formula 1 teams, where simulator work, factory integration, and engineering feedback play an increasingly important role in development.
A step forward in his journey for Shields ahead of his F2 2026 campaign
Shields’ connection with Aston Martin represents a significant step in his career trajectory. While he continues to focus on delivering strong performances in the FIA F2 2026 season, the backing of a Formula 1 team for Shields provides additional resources and opportunities that could prove crucial in the long term.
As Formula 1 teams invest more heavily in junior talent pipelines, drivers like Shields benefit from early exposure to top-level operations. Whether through FP1 outings or simulator programmes, these experiences contribute to building the skill set required to compete at the highest level.
For now, Shields remains focused on maximising his performances in Formula 2 while continuing to strengthen his ties with Aston Martin. With further opportunities potentially on the horizon, his development both on and off the track will be closely watched.
