Haas continues to search for Mazepin’s replacement
Since the announcement of Nikita Mazepin's departure and the end of the contract with Uralkali, the Haas team has been looking for a replacement for the Russian driver. And while reserve driver Pietro Fittipaldi will be present at the Bahrain tests, his lack of experience could deprive him of a permanent seat.
Gene Haas, owner of the team of the same name, revealed to the Associated Press that Brazilian driver Pietro Fittipaldi will be testing in Bahrain this week. However, his lack of experience appears to be a hurdle for him to secure a seat alongside Mick Schumacher this season.
“We are currently looking at different candidates, we will see who is available and what we will need to do, but we will have someone by Wednesday,” asserts Gene Haas. “Pietro will of course be part of it, that’s why he is here, he is the test driver.”
However, the Brazilian is not guaranteed a permanent place in F1 for the upcoming year. Indeed, the grandson of Emerson Fittipaldi, a double world champion, has had little experience in the premier category. He notably replaced Romain Grosjean in the last two Grand Prix races of the 2020 season after his accident. This is far from enough for Gene Haas.
This person thus stated, “We are reflecting. I think we obviously want someone with a bit more experience. We just need to see who is available.”
Another hint, Italian and Ferrari reserve driver Antonio Giovinazzi has been seen close to the team based in the United States. The former teammate of Kimi Räikkönen at Alfa Romeo could be a viable option for Haas.
