Ferrari: Antonio Fuoco prepares for Abu Dhabi FP1 in F1-75 at Fiorano
11/10/2024 06:25 AM
With his appearance at the Brazilian GP in Kevin Magnussen's Haas, Oliver Bearman has changed status: the FIA no longer considers him a rookie, so he cannot drive the Ferrari SF-24 in the first free practice session of the Abu Dhabi GP, since the Interlagos round marked his third race in the top series, surpassing the limit of two entries allowed to still be considered a developing talent.
Oliver Bearman doesn't need it, as he already has a 2025 contract to drive for Haas alongside Esteban Ocon. This has left Ferrari slightly unprepared, as Ollie was set to drive the red car in the second scheduled session of the season in Abu Dhabi, fulfilling the regulation requirement that teams field a "rookie" in two FP1 sessions during the championship and for the test day following the Yas Marina GP.
Ferrari has decided to put Antonio Fuoco on standby: the 28-year-old from Calabria, who won the Le Mans 24 Hours with the 499P alongside Nicklas Nielsen and Miguel Molina, was called to Fiorano on Friday for a training session with the F1-75, the car from two years ago.
For the young driver from Cariati, this would be a return to driving a Ferrari single-seater, as his primary activity is in the WEC (World Endurance Championship), where he finished second in the drivers’ standings, though he's still involved in developing Ferrari's F1 car in the simulator.
Although Ferrari's test on their home track strongly suggests that Antonio Fuoco's assignment for Abu Dhabi is set (at Maranello, nothing happens by chance), no official announcement has been made yet, but one is expected in the coming days. This is an excellent opportunity for Antonio to return to a single-seater, without the pressure of needing to achieve a specific result; he can enjoy the session while helping fine-tune the car for the season's final race, as Ferrari could still be in contention for the Constructors’ Championship.
Antonio Fuoco will take the seat vacated by Carlos Sainz and will use the number 38.
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