Giovinazzi to get Sauber-chance in FP1 in Russia

Antonio Giovinazzi, who is one of the main contenders for the second seat at Sauber in 2019 next to Kimi Raikkonen, will get the opportunity to drive in Free Practice 1 in Russia for the Swiss team.

The Italian, who just about lost to Pierre Gasly in the 2017 Formula 2 championship, is a Ferrari youth driver, and it's rumoured that part of their partnership with Sauber is that they can place one of their youth drivers at the team (like Charles Leclerc this season).

At Giovinazzi's debut for Sauber, he impressed a lot of people, but in China, he undid that with a double crash in a single race weekend. He's still within a shot for the 2019-seat though, so he'll want to impress during FP1 at Sochi. He'll be driving Marcus Ericsson's car, the guy Giovinazzi could be replacing.

Giovinazzi steps in for Marcus Ericsson at Sauber in Russian FP1 this weekend. As planned before all the rumours linking him with the seat for 2019. #F1 #RussianGP

— Thomas Maher (@thomasmaheronf1) 24 September 2018