Former Williams driver Sergey Sirotkin has returned to Renault as the team’s third and reserve driver for the 2019 F1 season.
Sirotkin, who was dropped by Williams after a single season last year, joins test driver Jack Aitken and development driver Guanyu Zhou at Renault.“I am very pleased to rejoin my friends at Renault F1 Team and return to Formula 1,” said Sirotkin.
“We are well acquainted with the team, I spent the whole of 2017 in their factory and in the garage. It will be interesting to learn how far Renault has advanced in the development of the car over the past year. Last season we were rivals and I could not see the work from the inside.”
Sirotkin will also return to the SMP Racing squad in the World Endurance Championship, who he drove for in 2017.
Aitken, who is in his fourth year with the team, will drive the RS19 in rookie test sessions. The 23-year-old will continue to race in Formula 2 this year, having switched from ART to Campos.
“I’ve been part of the team since 2016, so to remain for a fourth season is a privilege and I’m determined to repay Renault’s faith in me,” said Aitken. “I drove the Formula 1 car a couple of times last year and I can’t wait to sample the Renault R.S.19 this season in the rookie tests and give my best to develop the package in any way I can.”
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Garns (@)
27th February 2019, 10:53
Good to see him stay in an F1 role, many said he was rubbish last year but it was pretty hard to show any promise with that Williams car.