Formula 1 News: F1 facing reserve driver shortage at Baku

(GMM) Formula 1 is facing a reserve driver shortage this weekend at Baku. Kevin Magnussen is not in Azerbaijan this weekend, as he is serving his controversial one-race suspension for accumulating 12 penalty points on his super license.

His Haas teammate Nico Hulkenberg stridently defended the absent Dane on Thursday, insisting stewards are too quick to penalize drivers for minor incidents. “Most drivers think the same way,” the German insisted.

However, Grand Prix Drivers’ Association (GPDA) director George Russell says Magnussen was actually “not punished hard enough” for some earlier incidents, and insists that F1 drivers must “set an example for the junior categories”.

No matter where the drivers stand, the situation has pulled Ferrari reserve Oliver Bearman off the bench and into the Haas cockpit.

But what if a Ferrari racer suffers a setback in Baku practice and Bearman is recalled to the red garage? For that eventuality, Haas team boss Ayao Komatsu admits he was facing a reserve driver dilemma.

“It’s the WEC weekend,” said the Japanese. “We have access to Ferrari’s reserves, but people like Antonio Giovinazzi and Robert Shwartzman are in Japan. Other reserve drivers are there as well.

“Our second reserve is Pietro (Fittipaldi), but he is doing the season finale in IndyCar,” Komatsu added.

Pietro Fittipaldi – Sebring, FL – during the 2024 Test at Sebring International Raceway in Sebring, Florida. (Photo by Joe Skibinski | IMS Photo)

“Fortunately, we have agreed to share Fred with Mercedes.”

‘Fred’ is Frederik Vesti, a Danish reserve driver for Mercedes – who is also on stand-by for Mercedes-powered teams McLaren and Williams this weekend.

“In the worst-case scenario, we’re going to run out of reserve drivers,” Komatsu smiled. “But that is very, very unlikely.”