Antonio Giovinazzi

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Born in Martina Franca, Giovinazzi began competitive kart racing aged six, winning several national and international titles. Graduating to junior formulae in 2012, he won his first championship at the Formula Pilota China that year. After finishing runner-up to Jordan King in the 2013 British Formula 3 International Series, Giovinazzi moved to the FIA Formula 3 European Championship in 2014, finishing runner-up to Felix Rosenqvist the following season and winning the Masters of Formula 3. Giovinazzi then debuted in sportscar racing, contesting select rounds of the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters, the Asian Le Mans Series and the European Le Mans Series. Giovinazzi progressed to the GP2 Series in 2016, finishing runner-up to Pierre Gasly in his rookie season with Prema. A reserve driver for Sauber, Ferrari and Haas in 2017, Giovinazzi made his Formula One debut for the former at the Australian Grand Prix, replacing an injured Pascal Wehrlein for the opening two rounds of the season. Following another season as a reserve driver for Sauber and Ferrari in 2018, Giovinazzi signed for Sauber—re-branded as Alfa Romeo—as a full-time driver for the 2019 season. He scored his maiden points finish at the Austrian Grand Prix, with a career-best fifth in Brazil. Giovinazzi remained at Alfa Romeo for his 2020 campaign, scoring several points finishes throughout the season. Retaining his seat for 2021, he scored further points in Monaco and Saudi Arabia, before being dropped by Alfa Romeo at the conclusion of the season. Giovinazzi has since remained a reserve driver for Ferrari, a role he has held continuously since 2017. Giovinazzi moved to Formula E for the 2021–22 season driving for Dragon, leaving the series after being the only non-scoring driver that season. Joining the Ferrari 499P Hypercar project in its inaugural 2023 season, Giovinazzi won the 24 Hours of Le Mans alongside James Calado and Alessandro Pier Guidi.

In Their Own Story

On 5 September 2016, it was announced that Giovinazzi would perform simulator work for Scuderia Ferrari. In December, he was confirmed as Ferrari's reserve driver. He participated in pre-season testing for the 2017 season with Sauber. At the Australian Grand Prix, he substituted for the injured Pascal Wehrlein, who did not feel fit enough for a complete race distance due to a training deficit from a crash at the 2017 Race of Champions. Giovinazzi finished 12th on his debut, becoming the first Italian driver to start a Formula One race since Jarno Trulli and Vitantonio Liuzzi at the 2011 Brazilian Grand Prix. Sauber announced he would again replace Wehrlein for the Chinese Grand Prix, where he crashed out during both qualifying and the race. He later participated in seven free practice sessions for Haas in 2017, and remained a reserve and test driver for Sauber and Ferrari in 2018, taking part in six free practice sessions for Sauber during the season.

Reader's Guide

Antonio Maria Giovinazzi was born on 14 December 1993 in Martina Franca, Taranto, Italy. He has one child, a daughter. He began karting in 2000. In 2006, he became the champion in the Italian National Trophy 60cc and Euro Trophy 60 championships. He was champion of the WSK Master Series in the KF2 class in both 2010 and 2011. He began his single seater career by competing in Formula Pilota China in 2012, finishing as overall champion with six wins. He also raced for BVM in the last round of the 2012 Formula Abarth season at Monza as a guest driver. In 2013, he competed in the British Formula Three Championship with Double R Racing, finishing runner-up behind Jordan King. He entered the 2013 Masters of Formula 3, finishing tenth. He made his debut in the FIA Formula 3 European Championship in 2013 with Double R Racing, finishing 15th with 45 points. In 2014, he signed with Jagonya Ayam with Carlin, finishing sixth in the standings with two wins, seven podiums, two poles and three fastest laps. In 2015, he continued with Jagonya Agam with Carlin, finishing runner-up to Felix Rosenqvist with six wins, twenty podiums, four poles and four fastest laps. He won the Masters of Formula 3 in 2015. At the 2015 Macau Grand Prix, he qualified fourth, won the qualifying race but received a 20-second penalty for a collision, demoting him to tenth; he finished fourth in the main event. In 2016, he joined GP2 with Prema Powerteam alongside Pierre Gasly. He scored victories in both the feature and sprint races in Baku, took pole at Spa and won the sprint race, and won the feature race at Monza from the back of the grid after disqualification. He took the championship lead at Sepang with his fifth win, but Gasly won the title by eight points. On 5 September 2016, it was announced he would perform simulator work for Ferrari, and in December he was confirmed as Ferrari's reserve driver. In 2017, he participated in pre-season testing with Sauber, substituted for the injured Pascal Wehrlein at the Australian Grand Prix (finishing 12th) and the Chinese Grand Prix (crashing in qualifying and the race). He remained a reserve and test driver for Sauber and Ferrari in 2018, taking part in six free practice sessions for Sauber. In 2019, he drove for Alfa Romeo alongside Kimi Räikkönen, s

Did You Know?

• Giovinazzi was the first Italian driver to start a Formula One race since Jarno Trulli and Vitantonio Liuzzi at the 2011 Brazilian Grand Prix.
• He won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2023 with Ferrari.
• He was the only non-scoring driver in the 2021–22 Formula E season.
• He finished runner-up in the GP2 Series in his rookie season in 2016.