Arjun Maini and Santino Ferrucci to be Haas development drivers this season
The Haas team announced today that it has recruited young Indian driver Arjun Maini to its driver development program, alongside Santino Ferrucci who is continuing in the program.
The American team will welcome a new young driver as a development and simulator driver, namely the Indian Arjun Maini, who will race this year in GP3 with Jenzer Motorsport.
Maini is 19 years old. He made his GP3 debut last year with Jenzer Motorsport and finished tenth in the Championship despite not participating in the first two races. Prior to that, the Indian driver won the Rotax Mini Max National Championship in karting in 2007. His single-seater career began in 2013 in Formula BMW Asia, and he continued in British F4 in 2014 where he finished second in the standings, behind current Mercedes junior team member George Russell, with four wins and ten podiums. In 2015, he also participated in the Toyota Racing Series in New Zealand where he managed to finish fourth with two wins and five podiums.
Arjun Maini expressed his excitement at the idea of joining the Haas team’s program as a development driver: « It’s an honor to be part of the Haas F1 Team’s driver development program. Every race I’ve competed in so far has been with the aim of becoming a Formula 1 driver. And this opportunity brings me closer to my goal. »
The young man is happy at the idea of better understanding the workings of a Formula 1 team and being able to apply what he learns in GP3: « I am eager to learn, understand, and experience how a Formula 1 team operates. Everything I learn here can be directly used in GP3, while preparing me for my ultimate goal, Formula 1. »
NEWS: Haas F1 Team signs Arjun Maini as a development driver.
Read More: https://t.co/YJQ9ntGbVG pic.twitter.com/KlMb6ZC72Y
— Haas F1 Team (@HaasF1Team) 11 mai 2017
Alongside him, we will find the American Santino Ferrucci who continues in the role of development and simulator driver after joining the program last year. He will participate in the GP3 Championship this season, on behalf of DAMS.
Ferrucci is 18 years old. He hails from Woodbury, Connecticut, and started, just like Mairi, in GP3 last year with the French team DAMS, achieving a best result of third place. Nevertheless, his entire season was challenging. Previously, the American arrived in Europe at the age of five to begin his karting career. In 2013, he made his debut in single-seaters, in Formula 2000, finishing no race outside the top four, with over 37 competitors in each race. However, it was in 2014 that he made a mark by winning two races in British F3 at the age of 16, becoming the youngest driver to win a race in this discipline. He then moved on to European F3 and the Toyota Racing Series in New Zealand. His season in F3 was not very prolific, though.
NEWS: Haas F1 Team continues relationship with development driver Santino Ferrucci in 2017: https://t.co/Y79N1lkET9 pic.twitter.com/jThgvBrDdS
— Haas F1 Team (@HaasF1Team) 8 mai 2017
The young American is satisfied to continue in the American team’s program: « I said it last year when I became a member of Haas F1 Team, my goal since I started racing is to become a Formula 1 driver. Being an American and part of an American team is something that makes me extremely proud. »
Santino Ferrucci believes he has made progress since last year, thanks to his position and feels ready to tackle a new GP3 campaign: « I learned a lot last year in GP3 with DAMS and with Haas. The combination of the two allowed me to learn more and have a faster pace. I feel much more prepared this year. I am really looking forward to starting. »
