Scuderia Ferrari boss Mattia Binotto has praised the Maranello team’s test driver Robert Shwartzman as a “fantastic” talent, adding that he believes the Russo-Israeli racing driver would deserve a place on the Formula 1 grid for the 2023 championship.
Robert Shwartzman has been on test and reserve duties for the Italian side in the current campaign, after deciding not to continue in Formula 2. He finished runner-up last season in the Formula 2 Championship, behind Oscar Piastri, who will make his Formula 1 debut with McLaren next season.
The current Ferrari development driver also won the Formula 3 title and is ready to get his first taste of a Formula 1 weekend: Ferrari has chosen him to rake part in the first free practice session for the United States Grand Prix behind the wheel of the F1-75 car, after the Israeli-licensed driver has also been involved in other tests with the Maranello team and also with Haas. Most recently, Robert Shwartzman got the chance to test Ferrari’s 2021 car with a run at the Mogello circuit last year.
There is of course no immediate prospects of driving for the Maranello team in Formula One, taking into consideration the fact that both Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc have a contract available until the 2024 championship, but Ferrari hopes to help him find a place on the grid, given his talent and career trajectory he has had until now:
“Robert is a fantastic driver. I think he’s very fast, especially in an F1 [car]. Whenever he drove an F1 [car] he has been very fast with the F1 itself. There are drivers that maybe are great in F3, F2 and then are not good enough in Formula 1. I think Robert is one of the opposites. He has been great certainly in F3, F2 but he’s very, very strong in F1. And so it’s a shame for him not having any seat at the moment.” – Mattia Binotto replied when asked by Autosport about Robert Shwartzman’s Formula 1 prospects.
The Ferrari Driver Academy member has been fully involved in the behind the scenes work at Scuderia Ferrari during the current campaign, contributing to the development and improvement of the F1-75 challenger. While this meant his on-track action has been limited compared to his full-time colleagues, Mattia Binotto feels believes Robert Shwartzman has still been able to continue his personal growth and improvements when behind the wheel.
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“This season he has worked a lot at the simulator. He has worked a lot helping our team in developing the current car. I think as a driver he has improved, he has developed his own skills, and today he’s a lot more mature even to a year ago. And so I think he’s a driver that would deserve a seat. We know it’s very difficult right now in this situation, but hopefully in the future that may happen.” – Mattia Binotto concluded.
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