Robert Shwartzman to drive in FP1 at US Grand Prix

Italian Formula One team Ferrari have announced that their test driver Robert Shwartzman will drive at the Free Practice 1 session during the United States Grand Prix later this year.

Shwartzman, who has already participated in two F1 sessions till date for the Scuderia, will be driving the 2022 F1-75 for the first time ever.

Shwartzman is a former F3 Champion, having won the crown in 2019, and finished second in F2 last season behind Oscar Piastri, who will make his Formula One debut next year.

This will also be the first time since the 1976 Italian Grand Prix that Ferrari will have more than two drivers during a race weekend. The Italian race in 1976 saw Carlos Reutemann stand in for Niki Lauda following his accident at the Nürburgring. 

Laurent Mekies, the Racing Director at Ferrari, had previously spoken about Shwartzman being the Scuderia’s choice, having stated:

“For us, it’s Robert Shwartzman that will do our two FP1s. You are right in saying that you would not pick races like Singapore or races where the race drivers need more running. I don’t think we have an issue in doing it during one of the weekends where we have Pirelli testing.“

Shwartzman, a former Russian citizen, races under the Israeli flag as he was born in Tel Aviv.

Ever since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine earlier in the year, Formula One doesn’t allow drivers to race under the Russian flag. The FIA even scrapped the Russian Grand Prix from the F1 calendar.