Haas F1: Santino Ferrucci continues as Development Driver

American Santino Ferrucci will continue as a Haas F1 Team development driver in 2018 while simultaneously competing in his first full season in the FIA Formula 2 Championship with Team Trident. The 19-year-old from Woodbury, Connecticut, is embedded with Haas F1 Team at every opportunity, attending races and tests throughout the year.

Ferrucci joined Haas F1 Team in 2016 and participated in a two-day test with the American organization July 12-13 at Silverstone Circuit in England, becoming the first American driver to wheel an American Formula One car since Oct. 9, 1977 when Danny Ongais drove a Penske PC4 in the Canadian Grand Prix at Mosport International Raceway in Bowmanville, Ontario. Ferrucci tested again for Haas F1 Team in 2017, driving Aug. 1-2 on the Hungaroring in Budapest. Between the two tests, Ferrucci logged more than 1,900 kilometers (1,180 miles).

"We’re pleased to have Santino back with Haas F1 Team and we look forward to his continuing development in F2," said Guenther Steiner, team principal, Haas F1 Team. "Santino is a young, American driver with plenty of potential and we’re very supportive of his desire to make it to Formula One."

Ferrucci competed in the final 10 races of the 2017 F2 season with Trident after beginning the year in the GP3 Series. Ferrucci’s first race of 2018 is the F2 season opener April 7-8 at Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir.

"I said it when I first became a part of Haas F1 Team – my goal since I began racing is to become a Formula One driver, and to be an American who is part of an American team is something I take a tremendous amount of pride in," Ferrucci said. "My time with Haas F1 Team has really prepared me for my first full F2 season with Trident, and between the two teams I feel like I’m in the best position to succeed and, ultimately, get to Formula One."

F2 is the stepping-stone division to Formula One, and the 24-race series runs in conjunction with Formula One April 7-8 at Bahrain, April 28-29 at Baku City Circuit in Azerbaijan, May 12-13 at Circuit de Barcelona – Catalunya in Spain, May 25-26 at Circuit de Monaco in Monte Carlo, June 23-24 at Circuit Paul Ricard in Le Castellet, France, June 30-July 1 at the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg, Austria, July 7-8 at Silverstone Circuit, July 28-29 at the Hungaroring, Aug. 25-26 at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium, Sept. 1-2 at Autodromo Nazionale Monza in Italy, Sept. 29-30 at Sochi Autodrom in Russia and Nov. 24-2 at Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi, UAE.

Ferrucci began his career in karting. At age 5, he was touring the United States and Europe and, by the time he was 11, Ferrucci was a multi-time champion.

In 2013, Ferrucci graduated to open-wheel racing, competing in Formula 2000 and the Skip Barber Racing Series. Ferrucci won his Skip Barber Racing Series debut at Homestead-Miami Speedway and collected five victories, two poles and three fastest-lap awards upon the conclusion of the season. In Formula 2000, Ferrucci never finished outside of the top-four in the six races he started, with each field featuring 37 or more cars.

The 2014 season saw Ferrucci in British Formula 3. He won two races, both at Brands Hatch, becoming the youngest race winner in the history of British Formula 3 at 16 years, two months and 30 days.

In 2015, Ferrucci continued to advance in open-wheel, competing in the Toyota Racing Series New Zealand and the FIA Formula 3 European Championship. Ferrucci finished third in the Toyota Racing Series New Zealand point standings on the strength of a win and five podiums. It was his first full season competing in an open-wheel championship.

Ferrucci’s ascension up the racing ladder continued in 2016 in his first season in the GP3 Series, which was highlighted by a third-place finish Aug. 27 at Spa-Francorchamps. He also made his sports car debut, winning his first outing in the Lamborghini Blancpain Super Trofeo North America race Sept. 15 at Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas.

Ferrucci began 2017 in GP3, running six races before moving up to F2 with Trident where he completed the season.