Giovinazzi to make practice appearances for Haas

2017 F1 season

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Antonio Giovinazzi will return to F1 action by making seven appearances in practice sessions for Haas, the team has announced.

The Ferrari reserve driver made his grand prix debut at the start of the season as a substitute for Pascal Wehrlein. Giovinazzi drove in the Australian and Chinese Grands Prix for Sauber before Wehrlein returned from injury.

He will now drive for Ferrari’s other engine customer team in half of the remaining race weekends. Giovinazzi will drive in the first practice sessions at Silverstone, the Hungaroring, Monza, Sepang, Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, Interlagos and Yas Marina.

“Being the third driver with Scuderia Ferrari is obviously a great place to be and getting seat time in these FP1 sessions with Haas F1 Team will keep me sharp,” said Giovinazzi. “I’ll be able to take what I’ve learned in the simulator and apply it in actual race conditions.”

Haas team principal Guenther Steiner said Giovinazzi “is highly regarded by Ferrari and performed very well last year in Formula Two [GP2].”

“It’s a good opportunity for him and we’re happy to provide it.”

Giovinazzi tested for Sauber after Wehrlein was injured in a crash at the Race of Champions. While Wehrlein sat out the opening races Giovinazzi finished 12th on his debut at Melbourne but crashed in qualifying and during the race when he returned to the cockpit in Shanghai. Since then he has returned to testing duties for Ferrari.

GP3 duo Santino Ferruci and Arjun Maini have previously been named as development drivers for Haas.

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Keith Collantine
Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...

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26 comments on “Giovinazzi to make practice appearances for Haas”

  1. Is it possible that they’re preparing a replacement driver for next year? We know Grosjean went to Haas to position himself to replace Raikkonen, so who knows what could happen next?

    1. My thoughts exactly.

      The thing is Ferrari will want to place him somewhere. Sauber is no longer an option, Haas is the logical solution.

      What’s the contract situation down at Haas? Are they both on a 2 year contract finishing at the end of 2018?

      1. @johnmilk, I believe that Grosjean’s contract expires at the end of this year, but Magnussen is still under contract for 2018.

        1. that is Gio to Haas and Grosjean to Ferrari in 2018

          1. I don’t see Vettel moving.

          2. Ignore my previous comment, I read wrong – I read Giovinazzi and Grosjean to Ferrari in 2018.

          3. Arad (@just-an-fan)
            1st June 2017, 17:12

            What is this buzz around RG I don’t get!!! Do you really think that Ferrari are going to put him in that seat??? I see Sainz, Gio or Checo as the most possible candidates. Sainz has already sent out the early warnings to RBR.

          4. @just-an-fan Ferrari will never hire a low experienced driver like Gio, most likely he will be at Haas.

            Grosjean, Checo and Sainz are +/- in the same ball park, I personally rate Checo a bit higher than the others (Sainz maybe with more potential), at least for the moment. Thing is, politics, and that’s why Grosjean is a strong contender, and he was on occasions at the same level of Kimi, and if they have kept him for so long, maybe they want a similar type of driver.

            Driver-engineer relationship is also very important, and Grosjean seems to like to feed as much info as possible, to our hears it sounds like moaning, but I bet you his engineers like to have as much of it as possible, as annoying and it might sound

        2. You are right – MAG have the 2018 season but GRO ends this year… what about RAI?

    2. Grosjean is an incosistent Raikkonen. Perez pra Sainz are in a Michele better spot. Giovanazzi will get Magnussen seat.

      1. Sundar Srinivas Harish
        1st June 2017, 2:06

        I don’t believe that Magnussen is in any danger of being replaced. The reason he left Renault was that he wanted a multiple-year deal, and Renault only offered a single-year contract. He seems to have settled down at Haas, and is doing a respectable job.

      2. So why should Haas throw MAG out? He is doing excellent and cost nothing (around 1 mill £ a year) and still he is having same or sometimes even better pace than GRO without complaining about everything (brakes)…this boy is a golden egg – and after 6 races he had shown a good figure compared to GUT last year. Nop there is more in it – like GRO or maybe later MAG (only 24 years today) are going to Ferrari next year. And GIO get the vacant seat at Haas to mature for a Ferrari seat…

    3. My first thought was Giovanazzi was going to replace Raikkonen later this year, which would be very unusual. If, in the unlikely case that Raikkonen does decide to take a sabbatical, then one would expect Grosjean to sit in his place and Giovanazzi become the other Haas driver.

  2. Hot property! The guy is really talented but needs more training. Perfect scenario for him, I can’t wait to see him in a seat in 2018.

  3. Its very clear to me that GIO is going to become the next Haas driver after GRO. The big question is where GRO is going – to Ferrari or Renault. I think Ferrari to replace Kimi. MAG is not in danger in any way, his doing very well having better pace than GRO now! I think he will be first driver for Haas next year and have a new contract for 2019, 2020..together with GIO..

    1. I wouldnt say he’s faster when it really matters, but he’s doing an ok job.

      1. If you take a look on the meridian on their lap times for the last 6 races you will see MAG has an advantage of 2/10 – this is also seen in FPs and in qualify – even if they are very close 3-3.. MAG have the fastest lap in most the races too… the pace are there and its out of the box starting from FP1… GRO is under pressure but have been lucky with the points so far and MAG very unlucky with 2 punctures and qualifys with accidents in front of him hitting him hard on the start grid.. think it will turn soon…anyway he is way better than GUT last year.

        1. Yeah I like Kev, and agree he has been a bit unlucky this year. It is very close in the midfield too. Certainley dont see why he would be replaced. RE Kimi’s seat i’d prob put Perez or Sainz in before Gro.

  4. I really like Antonio, and think it’s great he’s getting opportunities, but of the Ferrari juniors, I believe Leclerc will leapfrog Giovinazzi at some point.
    I can see Giovinazzi only ever being a midfield battler, whereas Leclerc, if he continues the way his career has started, will be in a Ferrari by 2019/2020

  5. Pretty damning verdict of Magnussen’s position that. Do or die season.

    1. This article fails to mention that six of the seven sessions will be in KMag’s car.

      1. @hahostolze KMag has a two year contract with Haas so I don’t think he’d lose his seat. The reason he left Renault is because Renault offered him one year deals only.

    2. He is a keeper – no doubt there! GRO just have a contract where he can reject giving his training to others…

  6. My guess is that Romain G. needs to pick up his pace, even though his history for 2017 has a lot to do with car problems, oddly enough like last year a lot of brake problems….. It has not been a good year for French drivers, Romain G. and poor Sebastian B. from Indy car are both having dismal luck. Thanks, Racer Norriski

    1. @racernorriski Let’s not forget Ocon who is performing very well!

  7. Leclerc-Giovinazzi pair at haas next year? :p

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