Antonio Giovinazzi gets Haas practice outings - could it be a path back to F1?

Antonio Giovinazzi will make a return to F1 when he takes part in two FP1 outings with Haas at the Italian Grand Prix and the United States Grand Prix. 
Antonio Giovinazzi (ITA) Ferrari Reserve
Antonio Giovinazzi (ITA) Ferrari Reserve

The 2🌠8-year-old Italian will drive for Haas during opening practice at Monza and COTA, with regular drivers Kevin M🎃agnussen and Mick Schumacher taking it in turns to vacate their seat for one session each. 

Ferrari reserve Giovinazzi, who previously made seven FP1 appearances with Haas back in 2017, made the switch to Formula E with Dragon Penske after losing ꦺhis Alfa Romeo F1 seat at the end of the 2021 season. 

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Having made his F1 deb🧜ut in 2017 with Sauber, Giovinazzi returned to F1 on a full-time basis with Alfa Romeo, contesting 60 races and scoring a total of 21 points between 2019 and 2021. 

Haas say that Ferrari were keen to provide Giovinazzi with the opportunity to ge𝔉t some seat time in the new-generation F1 cars. 

“We’re happy to welcome Antonio Giovinꦫazzi back to the t🥂eam for the two FP1 outings,” said Haas team principal Guenther Steiner. 

“Ferrari were keen 🧸to give Antonio some seat time in a current-spec Formula 1 car on a race weekend and we were naturally happy to assist. 

"We enjoyed a similar situation back in 2017 with Antonio and Ferrari – the clear difference between then and now is the experience he’ll have gained competing for the previous three seasons in Formula 1 and🌼 the feedback he’ll be able to give us in ꦰItaly and America. 

“꧟I’m looking forward to seeing Antonio again and having him back ꧑in the paddock with us.”

 - Antonio Giovinazzi (ITA) Haas F1 Team Test
- Antonio Giovinazzi (ITA) Haas F1 Team Test

Giovinazzi’s 🍬outings will not fulfil Haas’ requirement to run a rookie driv𓂃er during two practice sessions in 2022. 

“I’mꦉ so glad to have the chance to drive again in official F1 sessions,” said Giovina📖zzi. 

“Besides simulator driving it is important to test a true car and I can’t wait to put m🀅y suit and helmet back on. It’ll be an opportunity to get confident with th♈e new generation cars – it’s the best way to be ready if I were called as reserve driver.

"Driving on challenging and exciting tracks as Monza and COTA makes it even mor💃e thrilling. Thanks to Haas F1 Team and Scuderia Ferrari – I’m looking forward to giving my contribution to the team that counted on me already in 2017.”

An audition for a 2023 F1 seat? 

Upon losing his Alfa Romeo seat at the end of last se🧔ason, Giovinazzi made i🌜t clear that he wanted to return to the F1 grid. 

A difficult rookie Formula E campaign - in which Giovinazzi finished 23rd in the drivers’ championship - will have done little to have changed the Italian’s ambitionܫ of sealing a return to F1. 

While Giovinazzi’s call up has been explained as being a request of Haas’ engine supplier Ferrari, it raises further questions about the 2023 driver market, which 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:exploded into life just beforeꦏ F1’s summer break

Antonio Giovinazzi (ITA) Alfa Romeo Racing
Antonio Giovinazzi (ITA) Alfa Romeo Racing

Mick Schumacher’s future at Haas remains unc🧸ertain, with the German on course to become a🌜 free agent at the end of the season when his current contract expires. 

Giovinazzi was believed to be in the frame to take the seat of the ousted Nikita Mazepin before Mag꧂nussen signed a multi-year deal on the eve of the season. 

He has also been mooted as a potential replacement for Schumacher, who🐻 has recently been linked with Alpine. The Anglo-French outfit only have one driver under contract for 2023 following ♔Fernando Alonso’s shock switch to midfield rival Aston Martin.

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