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Giovinazzi willing to follow Raikkonen's driving style

Alfa Romeo driver Antonio Giovinazzi is willing to try to follow Kimi Raikkonen's driving style this year because it would be a "mistake" for him to spurn his teammate's experience.

Scott Mitchell

Published: Feb 20, 2019, 2:36 PM

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Antonio Giovinazzi, Alfa Romeo Racing and Kimi Raikkonen, Alfa Romeo Racing in a Press conference

Giovinazzi has earned a full-time F1 drive at the re-badged Sauber team alongside 2007 world champion Raikkonen, who lost his Ferrari seat to Charles Leclerc.

After sampling Alfa’s C38 for the first time on day two of pre-season testing at Barcelona, Giovinazzi said he will try to drive like Raikkonen to help further the team’s development.

“I think it will be just a mistake to do it a different way from him,” said Giovinazzi when asked by Motorsport.com if their driving styles were similar or he would go in his own direction.

“Now my target is to work from him, just learn from him.

“The right thing for the team as well is to go in the same way, and also it's maybe better for myself to go in Kimi's way, and drive in Kimi's way.

“Just [to] make a lot easier also for the team.”

Giovinazzi told Motorsport.com earlier this month that he felt “lucky” to be partnering Raikkonen, a veteran of 291 grand prix starts.

After two years of development work for Ferrari on the team’s simulator and various on-track opportunities with the Maranello team and Sauber, Giovinazzi said working for himself in pre-season testing made a good change.

“It’s a different testing [experience] now,” he said. “Finally I can work for me, for my car, and this is what I’m doing.

“I’m trying to take all the feedback, give to the team and try to work a lot with the team and with Kimi as well to build a good car.

“I followed Kimi’s day [on Monday], we can do a really good job together.

“Kimi has a lot more experience than me, so I just need to listen to him and give my feedback.”

Giovinazzi echoed Raikkonen’s complimentary comments about Alfa’s car, describing it as “easy to drive”.

After a “positive” first day of testing the Italian said he would do everything possible to make the most of an opportunity he is relishing.

“I waited too long, two years, but finally today I was really happy,” said Giovinazzi, who crashed out of the second of two substitute appearances for Sauber at the start of 2017.

“[It felt] like I woke up for Christmas.

“I just want to jump in on Thursday, learn as much as I can and improve the car and make sure in Melbourne everything works well.

“I know this will be my full season, so I just need to do a lot of work.

“When Melbourne will start, everything will come really fast.”

Pos Driver Team Time Gap Laps 1 Kimi Raikkonen Alfa Romeo 1m17.762s 64 2 Sebastian Vettel Ferrari 1m18.350s +0.588 80 3 Nico Hulkenberg Renault 1m18.800s +1.038 63 4 Max Verstappen Red Bull 1m18.899s +1.137 33 5 Pietro Fittipaldi Haas 1m19.249s +1.487 48 6 Carlos Sainz McLaren 1m19.354s +1.592 27 7 Daniil Kvyat Toro Rosso 1m19.507s +1.745 48 8 Sergio Perez Racing Point 1m20.102s +2.340 43 9 Valtteri Bottas Mercedes 1m20.693s +2.931 88

Antonio Giovinazzi, Alfa Romeo Racing

Antonio Giovinazzi, Alfa Romeo Racing C38

Antonio Giovinazzi, Alfa Romeo Racing

Antonio Giovinazzi, Alfa Romeo Racing C38 passes Alex Albon, Scuderia Toro Rosso STR14 stopped on track after spinning

Antonio Giovinazzi, Alfa Romeo Racing C38

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