Pietro Fittipaldi, grandson of two-time World Champion Emerson, is to join Haas as its Formula 1 test driver, and will participate in this month's post-race running in Abu Dhabi.
Fittipaldi won last year’s final Formula V8 3.5 Championship though his 2018 motorsport campaign was interrupted by a double leg fracture sustained in a crash at WEC’s opener at Spa in May.
That came after he had made his debut in both Super Formula and IndyCar – forcing him to withdraw from a planned Indianapolis 500 run – though he returned to contest the final five rounds for Dale Coyne.
Fittipaldi, 22, will act as back-up to 2019 racers Romain Grosjean and Kevin Magnussen, and will receive his first F1 outing at this month’s post-race tyre test at the Yas Marina Circuit.
Fittipaldi is to drive Haas’ VF-18 on the opening day of running on November 27 before handing over to fellow debutant and F2 racer Louis Deletraz.
Fittipaldi becomes the second Brazilian to driver this week to secure a 2019 test role with an F1 team, following McLaren’s decision to take on Sergio Sette Camara.
“I’m pleased to welcome Pietro to Haas and we look forward to working with him,” said Haas boss Guenther Steiner.
“He brings a championship-winning pedigree from his junior open-wheel career, and more recently he has acquitted himself well running in the IndyCar series.
"We’re happy to provide Pietro his first test in a Formula 1 car off the back of those experiences.
"His subsequent role testing, and the feedback he’ll provide in support of our 2019 campaign, will no doubt further contribute to Haas' growth and development in Formula 1."
Fittipaldi added: “I’m extremely appreciative to have secured a role with Haas as their test driver.
"I’d like to thank Gene Haas and Guenther for the opportunity to join the team. They’ve done an incredible job in Formula 1, and to ask me to play a role in their continued success is naturally very exciting.
"I’m looking forward to getting behind the wheel of the VF-18 in Abu Dhabi. I’ll carry that experience forward into 2019, and hopefully into a race seat in Formula 1 in the future.”
Haas also has Santino Ferrucci and Arjun Maini on its books as development drivers though is set to review the American's position if he opts to commit to a programme in IndyCar, having made his debut in the series this year in the wake of his Formula 2 ban.
