Rumor: Ferrari eyes Shwartzman for a F1 seat at Haas

Ferrari boss Mattia Binotto believes that the team’s development driver Robert Shwartzman deserves a Formula 1 seat, and we would not be surprised if he were to take Mick Schumacher’s seat at Haas-Ferrari.

The 23-year-old, who is now running under his Israeli passport and license in the wake of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, will undertake the two mandatory FP1 rookie sessions for Ferrari at the US and Abu Dhabi GPs.

“Robert is a fantastic driver,” he said when asked for his opinion of the 23-year-old by Autosport. “I think he’s very fast, especially in an F1.

“Whenever he drove an F1 he has been very fast with the F1 itself. There are drivers that maybe are a great in F3, F2 and then are not good enough in the F1.

“I think Robert is one of the opposites. He has been great certainly in F3, F2, but he’s very, very strong in F1. And so it’s a shame for him not having any seat at the moment.”

“I think as a driver he has improved, he has developed his own skills, and today he’s a lot more mature, even to a year ago. And so I think he’s a driver that would deserve a seat.

“We know it’s very difficult right now in this situation, but hopefully in the future that may happen.”

Ferrari dictates who drives at least one of the Haas cars, and with Mick Schumacher no longer a Ferrari Academy driver, and rumored to be out of F1 after 2022 due to lack of results, Shwartzman is thought to be Ferrari’s pick to replace him.