Fittipaldi to test in Bahrain with Haas

TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

Haas reserve driver Pietro Fittipaldi will be in the team’s car during the Formula 1 Aramco Pre-season Testing 2022 at Bahrain International Circuit (BIC) later this week.

Fittipaldi replaces Russian driver Nikita Mazepin, whose contract with the US-based outfit was terminated as a result of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Fittipaldi had raced for Haas in the F1 Sakhir Grand Prix in 2020 at BIC, in place of Romain Grosjean following his fiery crash a week earlier in that season’s Bahrain Grand Prix.

According to the Associated Press, team owner Gene Haas said that Fittipaldi will fill Mazepin’s seat in Bahrain, but he wasn’t clear on a permanent replacement.

“We’re in the process of looking at several candidates, we’ll see who is available and what we have to deal with, but we’ll have somebody by Wednesday,” Haas told AP.

“Pietro will be in it, that’s what he’s for, he’s the test driver.” Fittipaldi is the grandson of two-time F1 champion Emerson Fittipaldi and ran two races for Haas in 2020 as the replacement for injured driver Romain Grosjean.

The 25-year-old was born in Miami and holds dual citizenship in Brazil and the US Haas has also cut ties with sponsors Uralkali.

The relationship between Haas F1 and its Russian sponsor and driver became untenable following the invasion, said Haas, as reported by AP.

Haas said his team was financially stable despite the decision to cut ties with Mazepin and Uralkali.

The Russian fertilizer company is owned by Mazepin’s father, Dmitry Mazepin, a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

“There was a lot of intense criticism about the Ukrainian invasion and it was just getting overwhelming,” Haas told AP.

“We can’t deal with all that, our other sponsors can’t deal with all that.”

Logos for Haas Automation, the CNC machine tool manufacturing company Haas founded, will be on his two cars at this week’s F1 test in Bahrain.