Haas confirm Fittipaldi as test and reserve driver for coming season

Haas

Haas confirm Fittipaldi as test and reserve driver for coming season

Ian Parkes

Friday 19 February 2021 15:07

Haas has confirmed Pietro Fittipaldi will continue as the team's test and reserve driver for the coming season.

The 24-year-old Brazilian substituted for Romain Grosjean in the final two races of last season after the Frenchman sustained burns in his fireball crash at the start of the Bahrain Grand Prix.

After being overlooked for a race seat as the team had already opted to sign rookie pair Mick Schumacher and Nikita Mazepin, Fittipaldi was unsure of his future.

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But the grandson of two-time Formula 1 champion Emerson Fittipaldi has opted to remain with Haas for what will be a third campaign.

Expressing his happiness at continuing, Fittipaldi added: “I’m grateful to Gene [Haas] and Guenther [Steiner] for the opportunity once again.

"I’ve been working with the engineers now for a couple of years and I really feel like it’s a big family at Haas.

"It’s a great pleasure for me to be able to continue working with the team. With the two races I ran last year, it just helped me gain even more experience, and I’m sure that’s going to help me be able to contribute more to the team as a result.

"I’m really looking forward to the new season and I’m just really excited to be continuing my relationship with Haas and being with them again in Bahrain in March.”

Team principal Steiner feels Fittipldi's two-race cameo will stand him in good stead going forward.

“We’re all delighted to continue our relationship with Pietro." said Steiner.

“The role of test and reserve driver means you might be called up to drive at very short notice and that turned out to be the case for Pietro in Bahrain at the end of 2020.

"Despite the demands of driving with little time to prepare, he undoubtedly did a solid job for us, not least as he hadn’t even tested the VF-20.

"He didn’t get caught up in the moment, he proved patient and ultimately, he did what he was asked to do – he brought the car home in Bahrain and Abu Dhabi.

"That first-hand race experience will only serve to add value in terms of what he brings to the team in his role this season.

"We look forward to working with Pietro and having him with us again throughout the year.”