Pourchaire will make F1 debut with Alfa Romeo at FP1 in Austin

Formula 2 race winner Théo Pourchaire will make his debut in Formula 1 during a first free practice session with Alfa Romeo for the US Grand Prix. The Frenchman will also have a new role as a reserve driver next season.

Pourchaire has been part of the Sauber Academy since 2019. The young Frenchman will get behind the wheel of Valtteri Bottas' C42 during FP1 in Austin as part of F1's Young Driver Outings. This rule makes it mandatory for teams to allow young drivers to participate in practice sessions during the season.

Pourchaire is currently second in the F2 championship. Next year, the driver will remain part of the Sauber Academy, but he will also have a new role within the Alfa Romeo team as a reserve driver. Pourchaire will have to wait for a full time seat in F1, as Guanyu Zhou will remain with the team for at least another year.

Pourchaire thanks Alfa Romeo

"Théo has been delivering great performances over the course of this season, as well as during the previous years: we have been working closely with him for almost four years now, as a member of our Academy, and we have been impressed by his constant progress and development as a driver first and, equally importantly, as a person. We are delighted to give him his first Free Practice outing next week: it’s a well-deserved opportunity, and I’m confident he will once again impress us with his performances, as he will help the team gather valuable data ahead of the United States Grand Prix", team boss Fred Vasseur reveals in the press release.

Pourchaire himself also reacts to the news. "It will be my second time behind the wheel of a Formula One car, but in some ways, it will feel like it’s the first time, as this time it will be during an official Grand Prix session. It feels like a dream coming true, and I want to thank Alfa Romeo F1 Team ORLEN for putting their trust in me and granting me this amazing opportunity: I am looking forward to being on track, and I will make sure to get the most out of it and to do my best to support the team as they prepare for the United States Grand Prix.”