Ferrari has announced Driver Academy member Robert Shwartzman and development driver Antonio Fuoco will drive for them in the young drivers test in Abu Dhabi at the end of this season.
Neither driver appears to be in contention for a race seat in the 2021 F1 season. Fuoco, who has tested for the team three times previously, has worked as one of Ferrari’s simulator drivers since January 2019 and seen other drivers pass him on the FDA ladder.Shwartzman, who drove an F1 car for the first time in September, has been part of Ferrari’s academy since 2017 and won the Formula 3 title last year. He suffered a personal blow when his father died in April. Since then he has made a successful debut in Formula 2, leading the championship early on, before slipping to fifth place.
“It’s exciting to know that I will be driving the SF1000 in Abu Dhabi immediately after the end of the Formula 1 season,” said Shwartzman. “I was able to try the SF71H at Fiorano at the end of September and it was incredible, even though that car is almost three years old now.”
Fuoco said that driving the test would help him with simulator duties by providing more reference to the real-world car. “I’m very happy to get back behind the wheel of a real car, having done so many virtual laps in the SF1000 in the simulator. It’s very useful for someone in my position, to be able from time to time to get into a car and check the correlation between the tools I usually use and how the car actually behaves on track.”
Another FDA member, Callum Ilott, will drive for Alfa Romeo in the test. Fellow FDA member Mick Schumacher, Shwartzman’s F2 team mate, is expected to appear for Haas in the F1 rookies test ahead of his promotion to the top flight next year.
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J_Olivier
20th November 2020, 0:32
I’m always surprised by the comments from fans that I see here and in other sites asking for certain F2 drivers to join the F1 grid when they don’t seem to have the quality for it. Of all drivers in the current F2 grid the only one that seems to be a good option for the future is Shwartzman, yet we will have Schumacher because of his last name, maybe Mazepin because of his money and Tsunoda, who is going to become another failure for the Red Bull program (but they don’t seem to learn anything). What a shame the current state of auto racing.
Sergey Martyn
20th November 2020, 7:46
Well said!
Srdjan Mandic (@srga91)
20th November 2020, 9:26
I strongly disagree. Švarcman has been a big disappointment since Monza and is now basically out of the championship fight. Mick, on the other hand, is just getting stronger and stronger. Of course his surname is part of the reason why he is appealing to Haas, but his talent is undeniable.
Suggesting he will only get his drive, because of his surname, is like saying that Stroll only got pole in Turkey, because his father owns the team.
Matt (@hollidog)
20th November 2020, 12:30
@srga91 Except that this is actually true, if it weren’t for Lawrence either the team would not exist, or it would have been sold to Dimitry Mazepin and would have Nikita driving for them.
Alberto
20th November 2020, 9:45
Don’t forget that Shwartzman is younger than Mazepin, Schumacher and most other drivers on the F2 grid. While it is a trend for drivers to rise through the ranks of single seaters to F1 quickly- it dented many drivers confidence and is creating problems when they are given big responsibilities. Shwartzman will be in F1 for sure and I am glad it isn’t happening too quickly.
Alberto
20th November 2020, 9:50
I apologise, they are actually the same age. However, I still feel that doing another F2 season with a strong finish will boost his confidence and get him ready for F1 for 2022.
Dave
22nd November 2020, 15:40
So you’re saying that they will all become failed talents just like failed football talents?
And BTW, Red Bull are atrocious mistreaters.