Pietro Fittipaldi remains Haas F1 test and reserve driver
Pietro Fittipaldi, who made his Formula 1 debut subbing for the injured Romain Grosjean at the end of 2020, will remain as Haas's official test and reserve driver this season
Fittipaldi, 24, made his first two F1 starts last December at the Sakhir and Abu Dhabi Grands Prix after Grosjean was forced out because of injuries he picked up in his fiery Bahrain GP crash.
The Brazilian recorded 17th and 19th position finishes in his first F1 races, having previously tested its VF-18 and VF-19 cars in 2018 and '19.
While there was no vacancy to take a full-time race seat for this year, Fittipaldi was always determined to keep a close association with F1 alongside his other racing commitments. He has been looking at opportunities in IndyCar for 2021 but nothing has been finalised yet.
Speaking about extending his stay at Haas, Fittipaldi said: "I'm very happy to be able to continue into my third year with Haas F1 Team.
"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."
The grandson of two-time world champion and double Indy 500 winner Emerson Fittipaldi, Pietro's has notched up multiple race wins and four titles (including the Formula V8 3.5 championship and in Formula Renault) and several IndyCar starts.
Haas boss Gunther Steiner added: "We're all delighted to continue our relationship with Pietro Fittipaldi. 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."
AlphaTauri needs error-free F1 season to head midfield pack - Tost
Horner: Red Bull took "grown-up" call to look outside junior drivers for F1 2021
Why Piastri's attempt to join McLaren carries implications of risk
After the 2006 Formula 1 British GP, Lewis Hamilton's father Anthony was a frustrated man, despite his son - at the time a star in GP2 - having just scored a memorable double win in that weekend's feature and sprint events.
Alpine: Ocon has what it takes to lead the F1 team in 2023
Alpine Formula 1 boss Otmar Szafnauer believes that Esteban Ocon has what it takes to lead the team following Fernando Alonso’s departure at the end of this season.
McLaren explains gaps between F1 qualifying and race pace
McLaren Formula 1 team boss Andreas Seidl has explained that being able to mask the car's lack of downforce in qualifying is behind the large discrepancy to its race pace.
Perez: DNFs have been "killing" my F1 season so far
Sergio Perez still believes “everything is open” in the Formula 1 title battles after the summer break despite some DNFs “killing” his season so far.
Why few could blame Leclerc for following the example of Hamilton’s exit bombshell
OPINION: Ferrari's numerous strategy blunders, as well as some of his own mistakes, have cost Charles Leclerc dearly in the 2022 Formula 1 title battle in the first half of the season. Though he is locked into a deal with Ferrari, few could blame Leclerc if he ultimately wanted to look elsewhere - just as Lewis Hamilton did with McLaren 10 years prior
The other McLaren exile hoping to follow Perez's path to a top F1 seat
After being ditched by McLaren earlier in his F1 career Sergio Perez fought his way back into a seat with a leading team. BEN EDWARDS thinks the same could be happening to another member of the current grid
How studying Schumacher helped make Coulthard a McLaren F1 mainstay
Winner of 13 grands prix including Monaco and survivor of a life-changing plane crash, David Coulthard could be forgiven for having eased into a quiet retirement – but, as MARK GALLAGHER explains, in fact he’s busier than ever, running an award-winning media company and championing diversity in motor racing. Not bad for someone who, by his own admission, wasn’t quite the fastest driver of his generation…
Could F1 move to a future beyond carbonfibre?
Formula 1 has ambitious goals for improving its carbon footprint, but could this include banishing its favoured composite material? PAT SYMONDS considers the alternatives to carbonfibre and what use, if any, those materials have in a Formula 1 setting
How Russell has proven he deserves to be Hamilton's Mercedes heir
He’s fast, he’s smart, and he’s already shown he’s not going to let Max Verstappen intimidate him. George Russell won’t say it, but LUKE SMITH says he’s ready to take the lead at Mercedes when Lewis Hamilton moves on to a quieter life. And – whisper it – Mercedes and Lewis are starting to think so too
The traits that fuelled Alonso's unexpected Aston Martin move
Fernando Alonso’s bombshell switch to Aston Martin sent shockwaves through Formula 1, not least at Alpine that finds itself tangled in a contract standoff with Oscar Piastri. Not shy of a bold career move and with a CV punctuated by them, there were numerous hints that trouble was brewing
The elements Ferrari must resolve to first save face, then win championships
OPINION: Ferrari's Formula 1 title hopes look all but over after another strategic blunder in last week's Hungarian Grand Prix denied Charles Leclerc the chance to fight for victory, while handing it to chief rival Max Verstappen. The Scuderia now faces intense scrutiny over what it must now do to finally become a genuine factor in championship battles
The clues about Hamilton’s F1 retirement plans revealed after Vettel’s decision
OPINION: Sebastian Vettel is set to leave Formula 1 at the end of 2022 and will, rather shockingly, be replaced by Fernando Alonso at Aston Martin. But what about the final chapter of the other driver that defined the post-Michael Schumacher era? In Hungary, Lewis Hamilton spoke about his future in the context of Vettel’s upcoming departure, which offered clues on how long it will last