Italian Antonia Giovinazzi will be Ferrari’s Formula One reserve driver next season in a statement released by the Team on Monday, December 19. The 23 year old who is likely to drive the car in the testing during the campaign as well as carry out work in the simulator was runner up in the GP2 feeder series this year. In addition to this President Sergio Marchionne also announced at a Christmas lunch for the media at the Maranello factory that Ferrari’s 2017 Formula One car would be unveiled on Feb 24.
Team Ferrari had a rough season this year and the team failed to win a race this year after three victories in 2015. Marchionne said there were still “many things missing But the team is the team and it was put in place over a period of years and we’re not about to change it now.” “Our working practice is already different to what it was back in August, which is when Mattia Binotto took over the reins (as chief technical officer)…put in the work and the results will come.”
Ferrari have former world champions Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen in an unchanged line-up next year. Marchionne further said “Sebastian was here yesterday, working in the simulator and he repeated the fact that he wants to win with Ferrari,” said Principal Maurizio Arrivabene. “It’s up to us to give them a car capable of doing that.”
Antonio Giovinazzi had a wonderful track record this year and he finished second in his first season of the GP2 this year. However his Prema team mate Pierre Gasly who is a part of Red Bull’s junior team beat him to the title at the final round in Abu Dhabi by eight points.
Giovinazi has previously raced in European Formula Three, finishing runner up to Felix Rosenqvist in the series in 2015. Ferrari has already evaluated Giovinazi in their simulator in September.
Giovinazzi’s talent seriously deserves serious support and he making it to the Ferrari squad would definitely be a win win for both. He landing the third driver role is a great opportunity for Giovinazzi where he can tone his skills and practice as much as possible to offer serious support to his team this year.
