GP2 Series title contender Antonio Giovinazzi has described spending time in Ferrari’s Formula One simulator as “an enjoyable experience.”
The Italian ace was given the opportunity of a test session at Maranello following an impressive weekend at Monza, where he won Saturday’s Feature Race after recovering from the back of the field and added a strong podium finish in Sunday’s Sprint event.
Giovinazzi thus closed the gap to just 10 points behind Prema team-mate Pierre Gasly, who also acts as Red Bull’s reserve driver and has been tipped for an F1 promotion at Toro Rosso in 2017.
“It was a very enjoyable experience and I would like to thank Ferrari for this opportunity”, the 22-year-old said. “However, now it’s straight back to concentrating fully on my GP2 programme for the rest of this season.”
Italy has not had a driver competing in F1 since Jarno Trulli and Vitantonio Liuzzi last raced in 2011. Raffaele Marciello did take part in several free practice sessions as Sauber’s reserve driver in 2015 but the former Ferrari junior lost his backing ahead of the current campaign.
Earlier this year, GP3 Series title challenger and Ferrari Driver Academy member Antonio Fuoco drove for the Scuderia at the post-Spanish Grand Prix test.
DRIVER RATINGS - 2016 Italian Grand Prix
RACE REPORT: Rosberg wins at Monza to cut Hamilton gap to two points
COMMENT: McLaren's 2017 driver line-up: A stroke of genius?
Keep up to date with all the F1 news via Facebook and Twitter
Carlos Sainz insists Pirelli still has considerable work to do on its intermediate tyre which…
Ferrari team boss Fred Vasseur admits to feeling relieved after his sit-down in Brazil with…
On this day in 1994, Michael Schumacher clinched at the season finale Australian Grand Prix…
Red Bull's Isack Hadjar is not quite ready to call time on his 2026 campaign.…
Aston Martin F1 team owner Lawrence Stroll is reportedly “at wit’s end”, according to Sky…
Toto Wolff has no intention of rewriting Mercedes’ recent history now that the team is…