Antonio Giovinazzi shrugs off FP1 crash as the moment that ‘ends my career’

Antonio Giovinazzi isn’t worried his crash in FP1 could ruin his chances of returning to the F1 grid next season, saying it won’t be “one lap and a few corners that ends my career”.

Dropped from Formula 1 last season when Alfa Romeo opted for an all-new line-up, Giovinazzi took a swipe at the sport calling it “ruthless” and saying “money rules”.

He, however, still hoped that one day he’d be back on the grid, possibly in 2023.

But in what was potentially his one and only audition, he failed to impress as he crashed in Friday’s FP1 at the Circuit of The Americas.

Putting in the laps for Haas, said to be at the request of Ferrari, the Italian binned it on his fourth lap.

Hitting the barrier at Turn 6, he caused minor damage to the Haas’ front wing and sidepod but then went and burnt out the clutch in his attempts to get out of the barrier.

He limped back to his pits, his session – and potentially his F1 chances – over.

Asked if he thought Friday’s crash had put an end to his chances of returning to the grid, he said as per The Race: “It’s Formula 1, sometimes you deserve to stay and you don’t get the seat, it’s just like this.

“For sure it doesn’t help but from the other side I’ve already shown what I can do in F1, it’s not going to be one lap and a few corners that ends my career.

“If people want me, it’s not because of today, it’s because of what I did in the past and what I will do.”

Antonio Giovinazzi's practice session in Texas didn't last long 😞#USGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/2vFraNE76G

— Formula 1 (@F1) October 21, 2022

Friday’s run was most likely Giovinazzi’s only FP1 outing for this year, Haas set to run Pietro Fittipaldi in Mexico and Abu Dhabi while Ferrari have opted to use Robert Shwartzman.

It means Friday could have been Giovinazzi’s last outing in a grand prix weekend, the Italian unlikely to find a spot on next year’s grid.

Although Haas have a seat open, Mick Schumacher unconfirmed, the 28-year-old is not said to be on team boss Guenther Steiner’s shortlist.

“Never say never in F1,” Giovinazzi added.

“We saw what happened with Nyck [de Vries] in Monza. Let’s see what happens. But so far yeah, I don’t know what I will do in 2023.”

The former Alfa Romeo driver reckons if he can’t find a spot on the F1 grid, he’ll try his hand in the World Endurance Championship in a Ferrari.

“Of course the priority is to come back here,” he said.

“If not, already it’s not a secret, I would like to go to Hypercar. So yeah, let’s see what happens. It can be an option.”

Along with his Ferrari reserve driver role, Giovinazzi spent 2022 racing in Formula E with the Dragon Penske team where he failed to score a single point.

Read more: Guenther Steiner weighs in on Antonio Giovinazzi crash: It ‘wasn’t fantastic’