Haas retain Fittipaldi and Deletraz in F1 roles for 2020

Pietro Fittipaldi and Louis Deletraz will act as the Haas Formula 1 team’s official test and reserve drivers throughout the 2020 campaign.

As part of their roles, both drivers will support the team in the simulator and trackside at grand prix events during the 2020 season, which has been delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Fittipaldi and Deletraz both conducted extensive simulator work for the American squad throughout 2019 and made their official F1 test debuts for the team during Pirelli’s tyre testing in Abu Dhabi back in 2018.

“Naturally, we had intended to make this announcement over the course of the Australian Grand Prix to start the season, but events both there and globally took priority with the on-going COVID-19 outbreak,” stated team principal Guenther Steiner.

“Pietro (Fittipaldi) and Louis (Delétraz) have both proven themselves to us over the past 12 months and we’re delighted to confirm them both as official test and reserve drivers for Haas F1 Team.

“Their work in the simulator was undoubtedly of value as we faced our challenges last season and we’re excited to continue to present them with further opportunities to expand their relationship with the team in 2020 when we can return to work.

“I look forward to them adding significant input into our own race program supporting Romain (Grosjean) and Kevin (Magnussen) and the whole engineering team with the Haas VF-20.”

Former Formula V8 3.5 champion Fittipaldi contested DTM in 2019 and drove Haas’ VF19 challenger during tests in Spain, Bahrain and Abu Dhabi last year.

“I can’t wait to build on the role I developed with Haas F1 Team last season,” the Brazilian said.

“My thanks go to Gene Haas and Guenther Steiner for the continued opportunity and belief in my work behind the wheel.

“You never stop learning in Formula One whether you’re spending hours in the simulator or physically behind the wheel of the actual car - something I’ve done a lot of with Haas recording over 2000 kilometers in testing.

"It’s a thrill to be able to do both and have the association with this team and all it’s accomplished in such a short span of time in our sport.”

Deletraz is once again set to race in Formula 2 in 2020 with Charouz Racing System after finishing eighth in the 2019 championship standings.

“To be an official test and reserve driver in Formula One is another step along the way to reaching my ultimate goal of competing in Formula One,” he commented.

“I made my debut in a Formula One car with Haas F1 Team and I’m naturally thrilled that we have developed that opportunity, as well as my simulator work last season, into an official role as a test and reserve driver.

“I would like to thank Gene Haas and Guenther Steiner for adding me to the program in this capacity. The bonus for me is that with Formula 2 on the support bill at a variety of Grand Prix events, I know they will get to see me race and I can spend more time embedding myself with the team when the timetable allows.”