Callum Ilott will drive in Free Practice 1 during this Austrian weekend
Like Guanyu Zhou, the Ferrari Driver Academy driver will drive in Free Practice 1 at the Austrian Grand Prix with the Alfa Romeo team. The British driver hopes to be able to join Formula 1 in 2022 with Alfa Romeo or Haas.
Second in the F2 driver standings last year, behind Mick Schumacher, his counterpart from the Ferrari Driver Academy, Callum Ilott hopes to find a seat in the premier category in 2022.
Without a seat in F1, unlike Mick Schumacher, Nikita Mazepin, and Yuki Tsunoda who had managed to make their way into the elite, the British driver will make his second appearance after the one made during the Grand Prix weekend in Portugal. Forced to race in an endurance program with the Iron Lynx team in the GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup, Callum Ilott hopes to secure a place in F1 thanks to the support of Scuderia Ferrari, where he also holds the position of test driver.
He recently declared to our colleagues at Motorsport; « I think they [Schumacher, Mazepin, Tsunoda] are doing a good job and it’s easier for me to say I was in the fight with these two guys! I think I am still in a very, very good position. Yes, I have to wait a year. I’ve seen people wait two. The goal is still to do the best possible job in GT and in FP1. Then, hopefully, an opportunity may arise. »
After delivering a strong performance during Free Practice 1 in Portugal, the Alfa Romeo reserve driver is looking forward to getting back behind the wheel of the C41 loaned by Antonio Giovinazzi.
« The second free practice session of my season will be a good opportunity to help the team and reinforce the good work we have done together in Portugal earlier this year. Getting to know the car and the team will certainly help me get to work immediately, and having data from the first week of racing means we will have a solid foundation to start from. I am looking forward to making the most of this opportunity as the team continues to strengthen. »
