Haas F1 Team has named Pietro Fittipaldi as its test driver for the 2019 season with the Brazilian set to make his debut in the post-2018 Pirelli tyre test.
Haas has announced the signing of Fittipaldi in their team as its official test driver for the 2019 season which will see the 22-year-old make his debut – not only with Haas but also in F1 – during the post-2018 Pirelli tyre test in Abu Dhabi.
Fittipaldi is the grandson of two-time F1 champion Emerson and was said to be in talks with the American team earlier in the season until a crash in the FIA World Endurance Championship’s round at Spa-Francorchamps hindered his chances.
Upon his return in IndyCar, it has helped the talks to come into frutition. “I’m extremely appreciative to have secured a role with Haas F1 Team as their test driver,” said Fittipaldi. “I’d like to thank Gene Haas and Guenther Steiner for the opportunity to join the team.
“They’ve done an incredible job in Formula One, and to ask me to play a role in their continued success is naturally very exciting. I’m looking forward to getting behind the wheel of the VF-18 in Abu Dhabi.
“I’ll carry that experience forward into 2019, and hopefully into a race seat in Formula One in the future.” Fittipaldi will drive the VF-18 on November 27 – the first day of the Pirelli’s tyre test with Louis Deletraz getting the chance on Day 2.
“I’m pleased to welcome Pietro Fittipaldi to Haas F1 Team and we look forward to working with him,” said Haas’ team principal Guenther Steiner. “He brings a championship-winning pedigree from his junior open-wheel career, and more recently he has acquitted himself well running in the IndyCar series.
“We’re happy to provide Pietro his first test in a Formula One car off the back of those experiences. His subsequent role testing, and the feedback he’ll provide in support of our 2019 campaign, will no doubt further contribute to Haas F1 Team’s growth and development in Formula One.”
Fittipaldi has been racing in various single-seater competitions and has won titles in Protyre Formula Renault Championship in 2014, MRF Challenge Series in 2015-16 and World Series Formula V8 3.5 in 2017.
He made his debut in America’s IndyCar series this year with Dale Coyne Racing with a best of ninth at Portland in six races while his WEC campaign came to an abrupt end after his crash at Spa-Francorchamps.