Ferrari finished third overall in 2021, a huge jump from sixth place last season, and Binotto said the team was stronger than before
Mick Schumacher, the son of seven-time Formula One world champion Michael Schumacher, will double as Ferrari reserve driver next season, while also holding a regular race seat at US-owned Haas.
Team boss Mattia Binotto told reporters that the 22-year-old German would be available to stand in 11 of the record 23 scheduled races, should Charles Leclerc or Carlos Sainz become unavailable.
Italian Antonio Giovinazzi, who lost his place at Swiss-based Alfa Romeo this year but has regained a drive in Formula E, will reserve 12 races that do not clash with the electric series.
“Whenever he [Giovinazzi] He will be our reserve driver at the race track. And at the same time he will be available to our customer teams, so both Haas and Alfa Romeo,” Binotto said.
“For the remaining 11 races… Mick Schumacher will be the reserve driver for Ferrari.”
Haas has his official reserve in Brazilian Pietro Fittipaldi, who stepped down twice in 2020 after the horrific crash of Romain Grosjean. Alfa Romeo also stars Robert Kubica of Poland.
Ferrari-backed Schumacher made his Formula One debut this season, outperforming fellow-rookie Nikita Mazepin, but scoring neither point for the tail-end team that has devoted all of its resources to the 2022 car.
Binotto said that Mick had improved consistency and speed during the season, and that Ferrari’s support would continue with Maranello and the simulator working with Ferrari engineers.
“If I look at the previous races it was very close to the cars ahead, whereas Haas did not really develop the car,” said the Ferrari boss.
Binotto said Giovinazzi would have a full schedule of simulator work and suggested the Italian had a chance to return to the grid full-time in 2023.
“I think there are 11 seats that will be free in 2023… 11 contracts expire at the end of 2022. So it’s important for him as a driver to still be part of our F1 programme,” he said. “
Binotto said talks would begin soon on a contract extension with Spaniard Sainz, who had a strong season with Ferrari after leaving McLaren, and hoped the discussions would be straightforward. Leclerc has a long-term contract.
The as-yet-unknown 2022 Ferrari car was being planned and scheduled to be launched between February 16-18.
Ferrari finished third overall in 2021, a huge jump from last season’s sixth, and Binotto said the team was stronger than before.
They are currently without a title sponsor, but Binotto said talks were on with longtime partner Philip Morris International (PMI).
“I think there are many opportunities on which we can collaborate with them by having them as partners. We have many options at the moment and we are still talking to them,” he said.
Binotto expected Ferrari to win the race again next year after a vacant spot in 2021, and move closer to Mercedes and Red Bull.
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