Sauber Confirms Giovinazzi

SAUBER CONFIRMS ANTONIO GIOVINAZZI FOR 2019

    Antonio Giovinazzi will run alongside Kimi Raikkonen at Sauber for the 2019 Formula 1 championship, the team has confirmed.

    The current Ferrari third driver will make the step up to a full time seat after making a handful of appearances for the team last year.

    Giovinazzi made his F1 debut as a replacement for the injured Pascal Wehrlein in 2017. He took a 12th place finish in the opening race of the season before retiring in Bahrain.

    Since then he’s run in free practice one for Haas and Sauber, and competed in this year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans with AF Corse.

    “This is a dream come true and it is a great pleasure to have the chance to race for this team,” said Giovinazzi.

    “As an Italian, it is a huge honour for me to represent a brand as iconic and successful as Afa Romeo in our sport.

    I would like to thank the Scuderia Ferrari and the Alfa Romeo Sauber F1 Team for giving me this great opportunity. I am very motivated and cannot wait to start working towards achieving great results together.”

    Giovinazzi has enjoyed a strong junior career up until this point. He finished second in the 2015 European Formula 3 championship, behind Felix Rosenqvist, and on the Masters of Formula 3 race the same year. From there he progressed to GP2, where he again finished second, this time behind Red Bull backed Pierre Gasly.

    Despite having now spent two years without a full time seat, Sauber team boss Frederic Vasseur is confident Giovinazzi will continue his success next season.

    “Together with Alfa Romeo, we are delighted to welcome Antonio Giovinazzi, who will take the place of Charles Leclerc,” he said.

    “We have already had the opportunity to work with him in the past and he has proven to have great potential. We are very determined and motivated. Our target is to continue progressing and fighting together for positions that count.”

    He added that Kimi Raikkonen, who has already been confirmed, will be crucial to helping develop the team.

    Marcus Ericsson, who has raced with Sauber since 2015, will continue as a reserve driver for the team.

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Article Written By: Bethonie Waring
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Hungarian GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Sauber

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - ALFA ROMEO SAUBER F1 TEAM

Marcus Ericsson - “After a strong race at Hockenheim I go to Budapest with an extra boost of confidence. The team feels positive and we are ready to tackle the last race before summer shutdown. The Budapest track is a very technical one. It has a lot of corners, and it is quite intense to drive there – it reminds me of a go-kart track. It is a tough circuit for both the driver and the car, however, with the car and good form we have at the moment we should be able to fight for good results there. There are a lot of Swedish flags around the track, which always gives me extra motivation, so I look forward to seeing the Swedish fans at Budapest as well. Let’s see what is possible.”

Charles Leclerc - “I look forward to the Grand Prix weekend in Hungary. Budapest is a great city, and I always enjoy spending time there. As for the racing – I look forward to being back at the Hungaroring. It is a very technical track, and quite different to the circuits we have been to so far this season. I have some good memories from my races in Formula 2 there last year, so I look forward to seeing what is possible this time around. We have given a consistently strong performance in the last few weeks, and will build on that to finish the first half of the season on a positive note.”

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German GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Sauber

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - ALFA ROMEO SAUBER F1 TEAM

Marcus Ericsson - ”Hockenheim is a track that I have driven many times – in Formula One, as well as in GP2 and Formula 3 when I was younger. It is a nice track. The biggest challenge is the last sector which can make or break your lap. It is important to have good speed in the straights and work your way through the hairpins in the first half of the lap well. There are usually a lot of Swedish fans attending this Grand Prix, so I hope to see many of them again this year. Their support is always great. As a team, we see a good trend in our performance, having been more and more competitive with each race weekend. I look forward to bouncing back and fighting for good results again at Hockenheim.”

Charles Leclerc - “The Hockenheimring is a circuit that I know well, especially from my time in Formula 3. It is quite a technical track, with an impressive stadium that is usually filled with many spectators. I really look forward to going back there – it is great to have the German Grand Prix back on the calendar. Hopefully we can build on the progress we have made in the last few races, and keep fighting for points.”

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Austrian GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Sauber

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - ALFA ROMEO SAUBER F1 TEAM

Marcus Ericsson - “The Grand Prix in Austria is always a fun one to return to. It takes place on one of the shortest tracks on the calendar, with only a few corners. That makes the lap time margins very tight. It has some interesting parts – mainly, it is the second part of the lap that is challenging. There are some very fast corners that require good car balance, as well as commitment from us as drivers. The longer straights and hairpins offer some opportunities for overtaking. The atmosphere is always great, with many fans coming to support us at the track. I really look forward to going back.”

Charles Leclerc - “I really look forward to racing in Austria. The Red Bull Ring is my favourite track, next to the one in Monaco. It is very small, but has a special rhythm to it that I really like. There are a lot of fans there to support us and many events taking place around the track, which gives the weekend a special feel. In terms of driving, my favourite parts of the circuit are the two last corners. The team has been doing a great job in improving our performance week by week, and we are motivated by the progress we are making. It will be interesting to see what we can do during this upcoming Grand Prix weekend in Spielberg."

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Monaco GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Sauber

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - ALFA ROMEO SAUBER F1 TEAM

Marcus Ericsson - “Monaco is always one of the highlights of the season. It is a very special and unique race. Driving on the streets of Monte Carlo is always an amazing experience, and a fun challenge as there is no room for errors. As a driver, it is important to have a lot of confidence in your driving. You have to build up your speed over the weekend, and get closer and closer to the limit. It is also a challenge for the teams to find the right set-up and balance. I really look forward to going to Monaco – it will be a fun weekend.”

Charles Leclerc  - “There are a lot of emotions for me, with my first Formula 1 Monaco Grand Prix coming up this weekend. I have dreamt of being part of this event ever since I was a child and it is incredible for this dream to finally come true. It will be nice to have my friends and family there to support me, and I look forward to sharing this special moment with the Monegasque people. Driving on city circuits is something I always enjoy, and I love the challenge that it brings to me as a driver. Although I know the city well, it will be a completely new experience for me to drive on the streets of Monte Carlo in a Formula 1 car. I look forward to gaining a different perspective on my home town. It will be an unforgettable weekend for me, and I can’t wait for it to start.”

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Spanish GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Sauber

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - ALFA ROMEO SAUBER F1 TEAM

Marcus Ericsson - “Off to our first European race this season – round five, in Barcelona. It almost feels like my home track, as it is the one I have probably driven the most in Formula 1 so far and it is a circuit that I really enjoy going back to. I have always been strong there, with a pole position in GP2, and some good results in Formula 1.

    It has a good mix of all different types of corners, and a very technical last sector that can make or break a lap in qualifying, as well as race stints. There are usually quite a lot of Swedish fans who come to support, which makes it even more special for me, and gives me an extra boost to have a good weekend. I can’t wait to get out to Barcelona.”

Charles Leclerc - “I am really pleased with what we were able to achieve during the last race weekend in Baku, and go into the next round feeling positive. I have good memories of Barcelona from the past, and it is interesting to return to a track where we did the winter test with the C37.

    I like the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. Tyre management will be a key factor, as the degradation is quite high on this track. Overall it is a special track, as it is very technical and has every type of corner. I look forward to getting back in the car.”

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Azerbaijan GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Sauber

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - ALFA ROMEO SAUBER F1 TEAM

Marcus Ericsson - "The race in Baku will be our first street race of the season. It is quite a cool track, with a good mix of high-speed sectors and challenging corners. What is special about the track is that it features some twisty parts, mainly around the castle. The track is very narrow there, and you must be very precise as a driver.

    Another challenge will be to set up the car to suit the demands of the circuit. Tyre management will be a key factor, as the degradation of the tyres is quite high during the race. I look forward to going to Baku, and continuing our strong performance from the first three races of the year."

Charles Leclerc - "I look forward to going back to Baku. I had a strong race there last year, when I was competing in Formula 2, and feel quite comfortable on the Baku City Circuit. I particularly like city tracks. They are challenging for drivers, as you cannot afford to make any errors. The atmosphere there is great, and the view of the old town and castle is spectacular.

    It will be interesting to learn about the tyre management during the practice sessions. This will prepare us for the challenges of this circuit, and allow us to work on finding the right set-up and perform well in the race. I’m excited to be back in the car."

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Bahrain GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Sauber

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - ALFA ROMEO SAUBER F1 TEAM

Marcus Ericsson - “Off to the first back-to-back of the year. Bahrain is a track that I know very well. I have been there a lot of times and enjoy driving on it. The track has different challenges to it, one being the sand surrounding it. Depending on the wind and weather conditions, this can become a defining factor. In the middle of the track, there is a very technical left hand corner which is one of the most difficult ones of the season. It also offers some good overtaking opportunities which I look forward to. After seeing our potential in Australia, we are going into round 2 feeling positive.”

Charles Leclerc - “After having participated in my first Formula 1 race in Australia, I look forward to going into my second round, as I will be familiar with all of the activities taking place at the track throughout the race weekend. I’m excited to go to Bahrain. I know the track from last year when I raced there in Formula 2, and have great memories. I had one of my best races there. The track is interesting. The temperatures are very high, which is very aggressive on the tyres. This creates interesting strategies due to the degradation that takes place. Let’s see what the next race will bring.”

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Australian GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Sauber

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - ALFA ROMEO SAUBER F1 TEAM

Marcus Ericsson - “We are ready and looking forward to the first Grand Prix. It is always exciting to kick off the season in such a fantastic location, and on a track that is fun to drive. I am looking forward to seeing our new car on track for the full race weekend for the first time.

    Winter testing was useful in terms of gaining a general understanding of the car’s behaviour and potential. Now, we are moving to the next step when we will start to understand where we are in relation to our competitors. I look forward to it all and can’t wait to be back on track in Albert Park.”

Charles Leclerc - “The first race of a season is always exciting for a driver, but this being the first Formula 1 Grand Prix of my career makes the occasion even more special. Driving on the circuit in Albert Park will be a new experience for me, and I look forward to the challenge. With it being the opening race of the season, you can really feel the excitement and energy there.

    Over the past weeks, I have got to know the team well, learned all of the relevant procedures, and was able to get a first impression of the new C37 during winter testing. I am eager to now spend a full race weekend in the car and work with the team to understand how we can maximize our potential."

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Article Posted By: Amy Hawk
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