New year, new hairstyle, new mindset: Antonio Giovinazzi is about to start is second full season as a Formula 1 driver with Alfa Romeo Racing. 

His journey in Formula 1, though, starts some time ago, back in 2016, when he finishes 2nd overall in the F2 championship and Sergio Marchionne, former Ferrari’s chairman, signed him as Ferrari’s and Sauber’s third driver. And with Sauber (now Alfa Romeo) Antonio disputes his firsts two GPs, replacing the injured Pascal Wehrlein. After that, Antonio only gets the chance to drive during official tests with Ferrari and Sauber and some Free Practice sessions with Haas. 

Still, the chance to get to Formula 1 seems very far away, but Antonio keeps working alongside his “team mates”, Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen, learning from them, and working tirelessly on the Ferrari simulator. In 2018, during several GPs, the Italian driver’s help was fundamental in order to help both drivers to bring the SF71H on podium. 

Every effort finally paid off: on September 2018 Giovinazzi is finally being announced as Alfa Romeo’s official driver for the 2019 season, alongside Kimi Raikkonen. 

The Italian managed to finish 17th overall, scoring his best result in Brazil finishing 5th. 

Be firm on your goals and share the journey with the right mate💪👊
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Punta dritto alla tua destinazione e fallo con i compagni di viaggio migliori🤜🔥🤛
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Cada año elige tus objetivos y comparte el viaje con los compañeros mejores 💥✌#AG99🐝 #kingtaco pic.twitter.com/Q0eUbpnywc

— Antonio Giovinazzi (@Anto_Giovinazzi) February 25, 2020

The season, for both the driver and the team, has been a rollercoaster: the C38 was incredibly good performing at the start of the season, while Antonio had quite some difficulties to find his pace. Obviously, he was not to blame: it was the first time he jumped off in the car again for a full season after 2 years. As luck would have it, Antonio started to deliver while the C38 was stuck with its updates: he earned another year, but it isn’t enough.

Antonio has no excuses now: he has to deliver from the start and he is not worried about it.

“I feel just less stressed compared to last year,” Giovinazzi revealed motorsportweek.com

“I have already one year on the shoulder, I know already how I can approach the race weekend. I just feel more ready, I want to be already from race one in a good shape as we need to try to score points already from the beginning of the season.”

The first part of the season will be fundamental in order to secure a seat for 2021.

“I think the car feels just more easy to drive,” he continued “we need to improve in some points, we are happy on other points, we just need to focus on our job.

“There is still a long way to go, we have not much time for Melbourne but enough to try to solve some problems.”

Not just the championship: the goal, for Antonio, is not only his final placement in the standings, but to be consistently in front of his team mate, Kimi Raikkonnen. The Finn has, from the Ferrari days, been a teacher for the Italian, but, it is known, a good student surpasses the teacher, and Antonio is determined to reach his goal and be confirmed in Formula 1 for 2021, having in mind, still, that red car that every driver dreams of. 

1/2 Quando da bambino mi chiedevano cosa volessi fare da grande la mia risposta era: il pilota di @F1 .
Oggi quello che sognavo da bambino si realizza e dal prossimo anno avró l’onore di essere pilota del team @alfa_romeo @SauberF1Team . pic.twitter.com/zVF201K7qn

— Antonio Giovinazzi (@Anto_Giovinazzi) September 25, 2018