More F1 kilometres for Ilott: 'He will drive a number of free practice sessions'

He finished second in the Formula 2 championship, but missed out on a seat in Formula 1. So Callum Ilott will have to be patient, but he will be able to gain plenty of experience next season.

Test driver for Ferrari

Despite not securing a seat, Ilott has been appointed a test driver at Ferrari. "Callum will be our test driver and he will spend a lot of time in the simulator and also do some free practice," Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto told Formula1.com. Ferrari is in good supply of talent at the moment anyway. "We have Mick [Schumacher] who can gain experience at Haas and we also have young drivers in Formula 2, like Robert Shwartzman."

Binotto did not specify, however, whether Ilott will also be allowed to do those free practice sessions for Ferrari, or whether this will be for Ferrari-engined teams Haas and Alfa Romeo. Most likely it will be for one of the latter two teams.

First F1 kilometres

Ilott drove his first kilometres in a Formula One car in a Haas during the Young Driver Test in Abu Dhabi and recently drove a 2018 Ferrari at Fiorano. "It was a great experience to be in a car like the SF71H," Ilott said after the Fiorano test. "It was a good start to the year, where I got some more experience with the team and also started to understand the working environment in Formula One. I hope to be immersed in the Ferrari world as much as possible before the pre-season tests," Ilott concluded.