Antonio Giovinazzi admits he did not take the decision by Scuderia Ferrari to overlook him for a drive in the 2021 Formula 1 season very well, although he has not given up on his dream to race for the Maranello-based outfit in the future.
Giovinazzi has been racing for Alfa Romeo Racing ORLEN for the past two campaigns and has been a long-time junior member of Ferrari, even acting as their test driver through the 2018 season.
However, when Sebastian Vettel was informed that his services with Ferrari were surplus to requirements after 2020, the team opted to sign Spaniard Carlos Sainz Jr. from the McLaren F1 Team instead, leaving Giovinazzi with Alfa Romeo for a third consecutive season.
The Italian knows he will have to continue working hard in order to fulfil his dream of racing for Ferrari in the future, with Sainz’s arrival not likely to be the final time he could be considered.
“Of course, I did not receive Ferrari’s decision very well,” said Giovinazzi to Autosprint. “That seems clear to me.
“I am still employed by Ferrari and I thought there would be a chance for me to race for the Scuderia. Maybe it just wasn’t the right time for me.
“Choosing Sainz does not mean that I will not be able to get that seat in the future. A seat at Ferrari will always be my dream. I have never received anything for free in my career. I have always had to work hard to earn a place.”
Giovinazzi says his aim in 2021 is to continue his improvement with Alfa Romeo and fight for more regular points’ finishes. He picked up only four points throughout 2020, the same as team-mate Kimi Räikkönen, as the team struggled for performance, but he wants to use 2021 to keep improving as a Formula 1 race driver.
“Right now I am focused on Alfa Romeo,” said Giovinazzi. “I want to help my team move forward as much as possible and that is why I would like to secure a place on the podium.
“To do that, I have to keep improving and seize my opportunities. Let’s see if that works in 2021.”
