F1: Antonio Giovinazzi extends the deal with Alfa Romeo Racing

Alfa Romeo Racing and Antonio Giovinazzi extend their deal for one more Formula One World Championship season, signing a contract for 2020. Same as in 2019, his teammate would be Kimi Raikkonen.

For the Italian racer, who would be 26 in December, the season 2020 would be his second full season with the team. After finishing the 2016 GP2 Series season as a runner-up, Giovinazzi made an F1 debut with Sauber in 2017, driving for the team in two season-opening races, then sit out in 2018 and finally get an opportunity as a full-time driver in 2019.  He scored his first point at the Austrian Grand Prix and then reached the points two more times at Monza and Singapore.

Antonio Giovinazzi and Team Principal Frederic Vasseur

“I am very happy to be staying with the team for 2020. I am grateful for the incredible level of support I received in my first full season in Formula One: everyone in the team has stuck by my side since I joined and I am really looking forward to continuing our journey together. We learned a lot this year and I am confident we can make a big step forward next season. I won’t be a rookie anymore so there won’t be any excuses for me: I want to be competitive right from the start of the championship and repay the confidence the team has shown in me,” Antonio Giovinazzi said.

“Antonio has done really well this year and I am extremely pleased to be able to confirm he will stay with Alfa Romeo Racing for 2020. The way he has integrated into the team and has consistently improved throughout his first full season in the sport are very promising and we cannot wait to unlock his full potential as we continue to work together. Antonio has emerged as a very quick driver, even alongside as tough a benchmark as Kimi, and we expect him to develop even further as his experience grows. His technical feedback, work ethics and positive approach will help us continue to push our team forward, and so will the consistency of an unchanged line-up for next season,” Frederic Vasseur, Team Principal of Alfa Romeo Racing and CEO of Sauber Motorsport AG said.

Antonio Giovinazzi

Photos: Alfa Romeo Racing,