Trouble over missed appointments: F1 star reserve driver soon to lose his driving licence?

There is no longer any doubt that Paul Aron is a force to be reckoned with behind the wheel of a racing car. Too many engineers and mechanics who have worked with the talented test driver are convinced of his abilities. The Estonian has, in fact, had plenty of opportunities to prove his skills under test conditions.

He first took the wheel of a Formula 1 car in 2024 at the rookie test following the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. He did so for the Alpine team, where he serves as a reserve driver. Since then, he has clocked up more than 10,000 kilometres of testing in various Formula 1 cars. He has already driven a total of six different GP cars: the 2023, 2024 and 2025 Alpine-Renault, the 2025 Sauber-Ferrari, the 2026 Audi and this year’s Alpine-Mercedes.

A Formula 1 reserve driver without a driving licence?

On the road, however, the 22-year-old now faces having his driving licence revoked, and for a curious reason. Aron has apparently missed several appointments for the mandatory medical examination, which is a prerequisite for Estonian military service. This is reported by the Estonian newspaper *Ohtuleht*, which mentions seven summonses and reminders that Aron is said to have already ignored. The Formula 1 reserve driver has already had to fork out 1,940 euros in fines because of these failures to comply.

And because he failed to comply with the request on several occasions, the Estonian Defence Authority intervened, taking the case to court and applying for Aron’s driving licence to be temporarily suspended. According to media reports, the application was granted, whilst an appeal by the Alpine reserve driver was unsuccessful. Aron now has until 13 November to undergo the medical examination. According to his lawyer, he intends to have this carried out before the latest deadline expires. The examination itself forms part of the proceedings concerning his fitness for military service. It has not yet been determined whether or when he will have to commence military service.

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