Giovinazzi thinks Alfa Romeo are more motivated than back in Sauber days

Sort-of rookie Antonio Giovinazzi has been around the team for a few years now, and according to the Italian, motivation has had an uptick compared to the Sauber days, when the Swiss team were at the back of the grid.

Giovinazzi raced two times back in 2017 for Sauber as Pascal Wehrlein was unavailable, so Giovinazzi technically isn't a rookie, but this will be his first full season. He'll line up next to Kimi Raikkonen, who swapped seats with Charles Leclerc at Ferrari.

How does Giovinazzi compare Alfa Romeo's current team to the one they had at Sauber in 2017?

"The team is the same, the people are the same. Actually, only the name has changed, but the motivation in the team is much higher than it was then," the Italian told Auto Motor und Sport.

"There were good results, and that's good for the team. And then Kimi, a world champion joined [for 2019], so the employees are tremendously motivated."

A lot of experts and pundits are tipping Alfa to make a lot of noise this season, potentially making a charge for the 'best of the rest' title Renault currently holds, but Giovinazzi didn't want to jinx it.

"It's too early for that. Let's focus on the present first."

Despite his two Grands Prix two years ago as his only experience, the 25-year-old does think he's ready to go and more experienced than he was in 2017.

"I've been Ferrari's third driver for two years now and have done a lot of work on the simulator. I've been in the meetings with Sebastian [Vettel] and Kimi, working with the Ferrari people, which has given me a lot of experience. I've tested a lot over the two years and I'm sure I've become a better driver than I was in 2017."