Who is Pietro Fittipaldi & What Will Haas be Aiming to Achieve in 2022?

Nikita Mazepin has reportedly been sacked by Haas Formula One team and Pietro Fittipaldi could be gearing up to take his seat.

The Brazilian driver is the grandson of two-time world champion Emerson Fittipaldi who triumphed in 1972 and 1974. With racing in his bloodline, the 25-year-old would without a doubt snatch the opportunity of the drive if it was offered his way.

Pietro began his racing career in 2011 in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series, winning the track championship at Hickory Motor Speedway.

The racer was keen to explore a career in open-wheeled racing and in 2013 he made his debut in Formula 4 before making it to Formula 3 in 2015. His big break onto the professional scene came when he was chosen to replace Romain Grosjean in Formula One after the Frenchman sustained devastating injuries during the Bahrain Grand Prix in 2020.

He went on to finish 17th in the Sakir GP, an accolade that made him the first grandson of a Formula One driver to become one himself. Following this, it was confirmed that he would remain in his role as a Haas test and reserve driver for 2021.

Now the racing prodigy is rumoured to become a permanent fixture of Haas’ team and may even step into the car during the next round of testing in Bahrain.

There is a very different atmosphere around the American team compared to last season. They are expected to dive into 2022 with a much more efficient car will work harder to battle other teams on the grid.

With Mick Schumacher emerging from his rookie season, he will now be expected to put in a noteworthy drive. The German outperformed his Russian counterpart last season and will be desperate to prove his worth even more in the upcoming races.

He has admitted that he hangs on to the dreams of following in his legendary father Michael Schumacher’s footsteps by racing for Ferrari in Formula 1. He impressed as much as he could during the 2021 season and will ramp up his Ferrari involvement this year as a reserve driver for the Italian team.

Ferrari is a goal that many drivers strive to achieve, however, for Mick this would mean everything for both him and his seven-time title-winning father.

The 2022 F1 season marks the beginning of a new era, with new rules and regulations set to force teams to adjust their cars to capitalise on new technical innovations.

These have been designed to change the game of the sport and ensure that races aren’t dominated by the same teams each week.

Therefore, the developments of these new cars may see some light shone on some of the less likely champions.

Teams like Haas will be committed to creating the best cars and teams that they can do to place them firmly in the competition. Schumacher has said he hopes the VF-22 will be more competitive than the VF-21 with the team focusing on the successor.

They were the first team to pull the cover off their new car this year. Noticeable changes seem to be simpler front wings and a slimmer rear to the car.