Antonio Giovinazzi will make his Formula 1 comeback with two FP1 appearances for Haas during the remaining nine race weekends of the 2022 season.
Giovinazzi quit Formula One at the end of 2021 as Alfa Romeo decided not to renew his contract, moving to the Formula E championship for 2022.
Alfa Romeo released the Italian as Valtteri Bottas and Guanyu Zhou took the position of Giovinazzi and the outgoing Kimi Raikkonen.
The Italian who is a Ferrari junior graduate with 62 races under his belt, has been balancing a Formula E drive with a reserve driver position at the Scuderia.
Giovinazzi will take the wheel of the VF-22 at the Italian Grand Prix on September 9 and the team’s home event at the Circuit of the Americas on October 21, according to a Monday morning announcement from Haas.
Giovinazzi will make his debut appearance for Haas since the American-owned team invited him to test in 2017. Current drivers Kevin Magnussen and Mick Schumacher will both give up their positions for one free practice session.
“We’re happy to welcome Antonio Giovinazzi back to the team for the two FP1 outings,” said Haas team principal Gunther Steiner. “Ferrari were keen to give Antonio some seat time in a current-spec Formula 1 car on a race weekend and we were naturally happy to assist.”
“We enjoyed a similar situation back in 2017 with Antonio and Ferrari – the clear difference between then and now is the experience he’ll have gained competing for the previous three seasons in Formula 1 and the feedback he’ll be able to give us in Italy and America.”
“I’m looking forward to seeing Antonio again and having him back in the paddock with us.”
Giovinazzi added: “I’m so glad to have the chance to drive again in official F1 sessions. Besides simulator driving, it is important to test a true car and I can’t wait to put my suit and helmet back on.”
“It will be an opportunity to get confident with the new generation cars – it’s the best way to be ready if I were called as reserve driver.”
“Driving on challenging and exciting tracks as Monza and COTA makes it even more thrilling. Thanks to Haas F1 Team and Scuderia Ferrari – I’m looking forward to giving my contribution to the team that counted on me already in 2017.”
The news of Giovinazzi’s practice sessions comes in the height of the silly season, when he has been mentioned in connection with a potential 2023 F1 comeback.
After signing a multi-year contract in his comeback year, Magnussen is committed for the next season, although Schumacher’s contract expires in 2022. Steiner has emphasized that he is not in a hurry to initiate contract negotiations with Schumacher, stoking rumors that the German may be benched.
Giovinazzi does not comply with the requirements that every team run a junior driver in two FP1 sessions, which supports the hypotheses even more.
