Antonio Giovinazzi says getting a handle on qualifying runs is a primary personal target as he prepares for his full-time Formula 1 debut in Australia.
Giovinazzi has stepped up to a race seat with Alfa Romeo after spending the last two years testing for Ferrari, Haas and Sauber, which included a couple of 2017 race starts as a late substitute.
The Italian has repeatedly expressed confidence with the balance and potential of Alfa Romeo’s C38, but conceded that he is still striving to understand the most effective way of tackling low-fuel one-lap runs.
“I think I need to still work on qualifying,” said Giovinazzi.
“For sure I’m already in back in GP2 or F3 I was more a race driver but yeah I still need to work on qualifying.
“It’s just about taking experience, and the best experience is taking on the race weekend.
“Part of the problem is because I don’t think the C5 is the right tyre for [Barcelona].
“If you use it too hard in the first sector there’s no tyre left for the last few corners, so even from this point of view I need to learn how to manage the tyre for the whole lap, as that makes a big difference, but I’m here to learn, to gain experience and understand these things.”
Giovinazzi added: “I’m happy with the long runs, less with my qualifying effort but there will now be time to analyse it.
“But the big experience will come on the race weekend, where I’ll try to understand everything by then.”
Giovinazzi will be partnered by 2007 World Champion Kimi Raikkonen at Alfa Romeo this season.
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