Ferrari check driver Shwartzman is ready to fulfil Ferrari’s younger driver requirement for apply classes in 2022, that includes in two FP1s over the ultimate 9 races.
The 2019 FIA F3 champion can be fielded utilizing an Israeli licence after the FIA banned drivers from utilizing Russian flags within the wake of the invasion of Ukraine again in February.
Shwartzman took half in final yr’s end-of-season F1 rookie check in Abu Dhabi, driving for each Ferrari and the shopper Haas crew, however is but to make his F1 race weekend debut.
“I am a bit excited concerning the concept,” Shwartzman stated in an interview with Motorsport.com at Ferrari’s Maranello base. “I nonetheless do not know precisely at which occasions I can be on-track, however it would undoubtedly be a great second.
“I’m proud to have the ability to drive a Ferrari on a race weekend, and likewise very serious about verifying the correlation work achieved with the engineers within the simulator.
“We’ve got spent so many hours bettering the digital automobile and bringing it as near actuality as potential. Now I can not wait to see the outcomes of this work first-hand.”
Robert Shwartzman, Ferrari
Picture by: Ferrari
Shwartzman has not competed full-time this yr, as a substitute specializing in help work for Ferrari drivers Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz after leaving Method 2 on the finish of final season.
Ferrari invested closely in a brand new simulator facility that got here on-line for the 2022 season after trials in the direction of the tip of final yr.
Shwartzman stated the dearth of a racing programme this yr has given him “full immersion” in Ferrari’s race crew, along with his simulator duties being complemented by non-public testing in latest F1 equipment.
He made clear that his purpose stays to achieve an F1 seat within the close to future, however that it was “a bit early” for him and Ferrari to make any determination on his plans for 2023 simply but.
“I will do the most effective I can to get an opportunity,” Shwartzman stated. “Clearly I hope that the work I’m doing this season can be of assist to me.
“Truthfully, I haven’t got an actual Plan B, the sort that if I do not go to Method 1, there’ll already be another venture. Generally I take into consideration what I may do, however right this moment, I am completely centered on Method 1.”
Robert Shwartzman, Ferrari
Picture by: Ferrari
Ferrari confirmed again in April that Shwartzman would swap to an Israeli licence to make sure he remained readily available for potential F1 alternatives, together with the deliberate apply outings. Shwartzman qualifies as he was born in Tel Aviv and spent the primary three years of his life residing in Israel.
“I clearly all the time had an Israeli passport, and because of this, when the state of affairs between Russia and Ukraine worsened, I made a decision to use for a license in Israel,” Shwartzman stated.
“In spite of everything, I wish to be a driver, reaching Method 1 is my solely purpose and, ready for the motorsport authorities to make the choices that they then made, the necessity instantly arose in me to ensure I used to be accessible once more if Ferrari wanted to place me within the automobile.
“We reacted rapidly to keep away from lacking any potential alternatives.”