Giovinazzi: 2020 form shows I deserve Alfa Romeo F1 seat

Antonio Giovinazzi believes his form so far in 2020 is good enough to warrant a third Formula 1 season with Alfa Romeo amid questions over his future ahead of this weekend’s Italian Grand Prix at Monza.

Giovinazzi has scored Alfa Romeo’s only points this season and he has out-qualified 2007 world champion team-mate four to three after the first seven races.

With a host of Ferrari juniors performing well in Formula 2 - Robert Shwartzman, Callum Ilott and Mick Schumacher all fighting for the title - Giovinazzi’s future is in doubt.

When asked about his future in Thursday’s press conference at Monza, he said: “I think first of all I came to Formula 1 as a I don’t have any big names behind me or any big sponsor behind me. I’m here just because of result and talent. I know that F1 is critical, you need to be always on a good shape every race weekend and I know also that many times one week you can be a bad driver and then the next week just after a few days you can be a hero.

“From my side I know that if I continue like I’m doing, to be fast and to try to score the points for the team nobody can take my seat for next year. We see what happens but I’m quite sure from what I need to do: be fast and be consistent.”

The 26-year-old dramatically crashed out of last weekend’s Belgian Grand Prix, with the Williams of George Russell being unable to avoid the wreckage.

It was revealed afterwards that Alfa Romeo told Raikkonen, who had been running behind Giovinazzi, to “put more pressure” on him before he spun off.

Giovinazzi downplayed the influence of the team radio messages.

“In the end I think racing drivers always need to push and this is what I was going on that lap, Giovinazzi added. “I knew Sebastian was really close to him and I tried to be on his DRS zone. This was my target. Unfortunately it is too late to see what’s wrong and everything on my side.

“I was trying to push like I always did, unfortunately it went wrong, and now I want to do well at Monza and forget about Spa.”