HWA has finalised the driver line-up for first Formula 2 season. Ferrari Driver Academy member Giuliano Alesi will join the team alongside Artem Markelov, who was announced earlier this week.
It marks a change of team for Alesi who graduated to F2 with Trident this year having spent the previous three seasons driving for them in GP3. He lies 17th in the standings ahead of this weekend’s race, having scored a best finished of seventh in the two races at Monza.“I would like to thank HWA AG for the magnificent reception and for the faith they are putting in me,” said Alesi.
“I am overjoyed to be part of this impressive company. All the employees are already highly motivated and I am looking forward to working with a great team – that is the most important thing for me. I cannot describe how I feel at the moment – I am over the moon.”
Alesi’s father, F1 race winner Jean Alesi, previously drove for Mercedes’ HWA-run DTM team between 2002 and 2005.
“The relationship between Alesi and HWA was a successful one in the DTM,” said HWA CEO Ulrich Fritz. “It is nice to see a continuation of that relationship in Formula 2.
“There is no doubting Giuliano’s enormous talent – it is not without good reason that he is part of the Ferrari Driver Academy. He fits almost perfectly into our approach, which is to support young drivers on their route to Formula 1.”
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Will
28th November 2019, 11:09
Alesi is one of the worst F2 drivers of the past few years, and one of the least credible F1 prospects of this current crop. Consistently off the pace, poor wheel-to-wheel racecraft and accident prone. I’m sick of these second generation drivers given extended chances at F2 simply because their Daddy used to race.
Shimks (@shimks)
29th November 2019, 8:56
It’s great to see famous names live on in racing … but not when the offspring is talentless. And I can attest to the fact that being a constant disappointment to your father is not very nice at all.
Stephen Szikora
29th November 2019, 14:09
Hillarious!
Gavin Campbell
28th November 2019, 11:21
This year Alesi and Calderon seemed off the pace along with Raghunathan who managed to look completely out of his depth and managed to get a race ban (nearly two) in a category not particuallry famed for driving standards. I think in Alesi’s case I have seen very little to warrant another season, a slight upswing in form has brought him two 7ths and a 8th in the last 4 rounds (2x Feature, 2x Sprint) being the highlights.
Schumacher has had an unlucky season marred by some technical failures but qualified well and managed to win a sprint race as well. So no compliants that baby Schuey gets another run in F2. Especially as the tyres seemed to be the major stubling block over raw pace.
Hugh (@hugh11)
28th November 2019, 11:24
Other moves:
Shwartzman to Prema (alongside Mick, finally, bye bye Gelael)
Armstrong to ART (kinda surprising, expected him to be at Charouz, with Lundgaard at ART, maybe they’ll be teammates?)
Ilott to Virtuosi (expected him to stay with Charouz, no word on his teammate, but Ghiotto is probs done with F2)