Giovinazzi and Shwartzman to share Ferrari reserve role in 2023

Antonio Giovinazzi and Robert Shwartzman have been earmarked as Ferrari's F1 reserve drivers for the 2023 season according to reports from Italy.

After leaving the Alfa Romeo F1 team at the end of 2021, Giovinazzi fulfilled the reserve role with the Scuderia last season.

He was also handed an FP1 outing with Haas at the Italian Grand Prix at Monza.

The 29-year-old Italian was thus once again a logical choice for the Italian outfit, particularly as he'll also be racing Ferrari's works 499P Hypercar team in the World Endurance Championship.

Giovinazzi has been assigned to Ferrari's #51 entry in the WEC along with James Calado and Alessandro Pier Guidi.

However, five of the seven events of the WEC clash with rounds of the F1 World Championship

At Jeddah, Barcelona, Baku, Silverstone and Interlagos, Shwartzman will be on stand-by to substitute for Charles Leclerc or Carlos Sainz, just in case.

The 23-year-old Israeli-Russian driver last enjoyed a full-time race programme in 202, his final year if the FIA Formula 2 Championship.

• Read also: Giovinazzi joins Ferrari's 2023 Hypercar line-up!

Last season, Shwartzman conducted development and sim work for Ferrari and was the Scuderia's young driver representative in two Friday free practice sessions in F1.

He also took part in last November's end-of-season F1 test in Abu Dhabi.

Shwartzman, who evaded the FIA's ban on Russian drivers by running under an Israeli licence, recently enjoyed an IndyCar test at Sebring with Chip Ganassi Racing. He set the best time out of the four cars that took part in the test.

"It was really fun to be there," Shwartzman told RACER. "Overall, it was very positive, very productive.

"I was very curious to get to know the car. I’m very happy that my expectations were beaten.

"As for the physical and driving style, it’s a quite nice car to drive. Honestly, now, I don’t feel any soreness.

"My fitness allowed me to finish to the end. As a car itself, I really liked it and it was a fun car to drive and we tested a lot of things that I hope the team can use. Overall, very happy and excited."

Shwartzman gave no insight into a potential race seat in IndyCar.

Ferrari will conduct a three-day test with all its drivers later this month in Fiorano with an older-spec SF-21 machine, with Leclerc and Sainz warming up to 2023 by each running for a full day while Giovinazzi and Shwartzman will split the final day of testing.

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