Pietro Fittipaldi will be Haas’ reserve driver in the 2023 Formula 1 season, announced on Tuesday.
Fittipaldi joined Haas to become their reserve driver ahead of the 2019 season. Since then, he took part in several free practice sessions and tests. Furthermore, he participated in the 2020 Sakhir and Abu Dhabi Grands Prix replacing Romain Grosjean.
“I’ve said before that continuity and consistency is key to success in Formula 1 and Pietro remaining with the team for 2023 makes me believe that we have strong foundations,” team principal Guenther Steiner commented on the announcement.
“In Formula 1, you need to be able to react within the smallest of margins to any scenario, and Pietro is a proven performer and is ready to step in at any time to get behind the wheel and drive, as he did twice in 2020.
“Last season he took part in pre-season testing, two free practice sessions, and post-season testing in the VF-22, and surprisingly unlike many drivers on the grid, he’s said this car suits his aggressive style, which is music to my ears when track time is so limited. He’s an asset to our team, so I look forward to seeing his continuation with us this season.”
“I’m very happy to be continuing with MoneyGram Haas F1 Team, a team that I consider family,” Fittipaldi said.
“It will be my fifth season in Formula 1 as the official reserve and test driver for Haas, and I’m super excited to be going into 2023 coming off the back of a very competitive season.
“Last year I did two free practice sessions, tested at the beginning of the year and at the end of season test, so we’ve already been able to try some stuff for the new season. I’m excited to see the new car and new developments, and I hope that we’re able to make an even bigger step forward with the VF-23.”
