Haas F1 Team has announced that Santino Ferrucci will continue on as development driver during 2017 whilst simultaneously competing in GP3 for DAMS.
Ferrucci joined Haas last year. He ran during a two-day test at Silverstone in the July, and in doing so became the first American in an American Formula 1 car since 1977 (Danny Ongais in the Penske PC4 at the Canadian Grand Prix, if you’re wondering).
The 18 year-old from Connecticut will continue to embed himself with the team at non-conflicting races and tested, whilst also undertaking simulator work to assist with car development.
2017 will also be his second season in GP3 with the DAMS team. Unfortunately the two championships overlap for seven of the eight GP3 races, which will reduce his race weekend time with Haas.
But DAMS has a history of providing drivers a step-up to Formula 1 (Haas’ current line-up, Romain Grosjean and Kevin Magnussen, have both graduated from the team), so it is time well spent.
“We’re very happy to have Santino back with us and look forward to his continuing development in GP3,” Guenther Steiner, team principal of Haas, said. “We liked what we saw of him last year in our test at Silverstone and his maturity inside and outside of the car is impressive.
“Santino is a young, American driver with plenty of potential who is learning a lot with DAMS and us.”
Haas are approaching the new season with a desire of topping their impressive eighth place finish during their debut year.
His association with an American team is one that Ferrucci takes immense pride in. He is also hoping to emulate the transition that both Grosjean and Magnussen have achieved.
“I said it last year when I became a part of Haas F1 Team – my goal since I first started racing is to become a Formula One driver, and to be an American who is part of an American team is something I take a tremendous amount of pride in,” Ferrucci said.
“I learned a lot last year in GP3 with DAMS and with Haas F1 Team. The combination of the two allowed me to learn more and at a faster rate.
“I feel so much more prepared this year. I’m really looking forward to getting started.”
