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Key part of Haas F1's team, but what will be this driver's fate now?
- Ludo van Denderen
In the background, Pietro Fittipaldi played an important for the Haas F1 team for many years. Will that be the case for the 2025 season? It looks like the role of Emerson Fittipaldi's grandson will be even smaller, or perhaps even he will have no role at all?
Since 2019, the Brazilian has been affiliated with the smallest team in Formula 1. Moreover, he also competed in two Grands Prix back in 2020 for team, replacing the injured Romain Grosjean. His best finish was a P17. Last season, he was also one of the Americans' reserve drivers. But on the two occasions when regular driver Kevin Magnussen could not drive (for either having a race ban or being sick), Oliver Bearman was given the chance.
Furthermore, he was the Americans' test driver for the past five years, although that testing did not amount to much. Only earlier this year did Haas hold their first-ever so-called TPC test, where the car from two seasons ago was used. During that test, Bearman, Esteban Ocon and Toyota-protégé Ritomo Miyata drove - but not Fittipaldi.
Lack of clarity over Fittipaldi's future
It seems increasingly likely that Fittipaldi's role at Haas is shrinking, or if he will have a role at all. When asked, Haas would not confirm whether the Brazilian still cooperates with the team. Officially, the reserve drivers for 2025 have not been announced either, but for now Fittipaldi does not seem to be a first choice if a backup would be needed.
GPblog has learned that in the event that Ocon or Bearman wouldn't be able to drive at a weekend, Haas hope to call on Ryo Hirakawa, the driver who competed on behalf of the team during FP1 at Abu Dhabi last season and is also now an official reserve driver for Alpine.
Kevin Magnussen, who joined BMW in the World Endurance Championship and is also sometimes active in its US counterpart, IMSA, would also be available as a reserve at some Grands Prix.
No doubt, Haas will soon officially announce which drivers are attached to the team. So it remains to be seen whether Fittipaldi will be among them.
This article was written in collaboration with Kada Sárközi
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