Alfa Romeo wants "improving" Giovinazzi to be a team leader
Alfa Romeo Formula 1 team boss has called on his driver Antonio Giovinazzi to become more of a team leader, as the Italian is gearing up for a third season in the sport with the Swiss team.
Following a difficult debut season with Alfa Romeo in 2019, Ferrari-backed Giovinazzi showed a marked improvement during the 2020 season, outqualifying his vastly more experienced teammate Kimi Raikkonen by nine to eight and going on to score the same number of points as the Finn.
Due to a lack of competitiveness Raikkonen and Giovinazzi could only manage four points each as Alfa slumped to an eight-place finish in the constructors' championship, but Ferrari decided to give Giovinazzi a third season at Ferrari, opting to place rookie Mick Schumacher at Haas instead.
While it's far from certain 41-year-old Raikkonen will stay in the sport beyond the 2021 season, Alfa boss Vasseur has called on Giovinazzi to become more of a team leader in his third season and become a more consistent performer, saying the Italian should "take the lead on his own shoulders".
"I think the next step is to get more the consistency during the race," Vasseur told Motorsport.com. "But he's been doing a good step for a while that he is improving on every single topic.
"There's also probably to keep a little bit the lead of the team on his own shoulders, to be able to assume some decisions. But we are on these paths and he is improving race after race. And I'm quite confident for next year."
Vasseur is also impressed with the gains the 27-year-old Italian has been able to make in his sophomore year.
"If you have a look last year, he scored one third of Kimi's points and he was six times in front of Kimi in qualifying," the Frenchman explained.
"Now they are matching each other, they have the same level of points, the same level of performance in qualifying."
Giovinazzi told Motorsport.com that was "really happy with the work that I did in this season", in particular his focus on improving his race starts, which helped him gain valuable positions on the first lap of several races.
Related video
Previous article
Ferrari's Leclerc latest F1 driver to contract COVID-19
Next article
Why a lost F1 hope is still in demand aged 65
About this article
| Series | Formula 1 |
| Drivers | Antonio Giovinazzi |
| Teams | Alfa Romeo |
| Author | Filip Cleeren |
The defining traits that set F1’s best apart
What makes the very best drivers in Formula 1 stand out among what is already a highly elite bunch? Andrew Benson takes a closer look at those with the special blend of skill, judgment, feel and attitude that sets only a select few apart from the rest.
The updates Williams hopes will lead to a point-scoring return
After producing a car which demonstrated progress but lacked the points to prove it last year, Williams starts its new era of team ownership with the FW43B, its bid to continue the climb up the Formula 1 grid in 2021
How Ferrari plans to recover from its 2020 F1 nightmare
The 2020 Formula 1 season was Ferrari's worst for 40 years as it slumped to sixth in the standings. A repeat performance will not be acceptable for the proud Italian team, which has adopted a notably pragmatic approach to forging its path back to the top
Why Aston Martin’s arrival is more than just new green livery
In the most eagerly anticipated Formula 1 team launch of the season, the rebranded Aston Martin squad’s changes go much further than the striking paint job. But rather than a restart, the team hopes to build on top of solid foundations.
The car Aston Martin begins its new F1 journey with
The team formerly known as Racing Point gambled successfully on a Mercedes look-alike in 2020 as it mounted a strong challenge for third in the constructors' race and won the Sakhir GP. Now clothed in British racing green, Aston Martin's first Formula 1 challenger since 1960 provides the clearest indicator yet of what to expect from the new-for-2021 regulations
The tricky driver conundrums facing Mercedes in F1 2021
Ahead of the new Formula 1 season, reigning world champions Mercedes will take on challenges both old and new. This also can be said for its driver conundrum which could become key to sustaining its ongoing success...
How Alpine's cure to 2021 F1 rules starts at the front
A new name, new faces and new colours pulls the rebranded Alpine Formula 1 team into a new era while carrying over core elements of its 2020 car. But under the surface there's more than meets the eye with the A521 which hints at how the team will tackle 2021...
Can Mercedes' W12 retain the team's crown?
Replacing Formula 1's fastest car was never going to be an easy feat for Mercedes. Amid the technical rule tweaks to peg back the W12 and its 2021 rivals, the new Mercedes challenger will remain the target to beat
