Ferrari reserve driver Antonio Giovinazzi will be back driving an F1 car this weekend as he takes over FP1 duties for the Haas F1 team as Formula 1 returns with the Belgian GP after a 3-week of summer break. His FP1 runs will come at the Italian GP which is his home race and also the Grand Prix of the Americas.
Giovinazzi who is also a Ferrari Driver Academy graduate was driving for Alfa Romeo since 2019 but he lost his place to Guanyu Zhou in the team. Haas which also is a Ferrari customer has one seat dictated by the team at Maranello.
Mick Schumacher, who is the son of 7-time F1 world champion Michael Schumacher had made the seat at Haas his own in 2021, but there are speculations that the German may be dropped by the American team. Giovinazzi may get a look in as the seat is still controlled by Ferrari and the Scuderia may want the drive to go to another of its academy prospects.
''I’m so glad to have the chance to drive again in official F1 sessions. Besides simulator driving, it is important to test a true car and I can’t wait to put my suit and helmet back on. It’ll be an opportunity to get confident with the new generation cars – it’s the best way to be ready if I were called as reserve driver'', Giovinazzi said in the press release.
Mick Schumacher is out of a contract at the end of this year. There are rumours that either he will exit F1 or will join the Alpine team replacing Fernando Alonso. It should be noted his father won his first two world championships with the very same team which in 1994 and 1995 was called Benetton.
