Alfa Romeo cleared the air with Giovinazzi over Turkey F1 team orders
Alfa Romeo Formula 1 chief Frederic Vasseur says the team has cleared the air with Antonio Giovinazzi after he disobeyed a call to let Kimi Raikkonen pass in Turkey.
Giovinazzi was given the call to let Raikkonen pass him in the closing stages of the race two weeks ago at Istanbul Park after being quickly caught by his Alfa Romeo teammate.
But Giovinazzi did not move aside for Raikkonen as he pushed to catch Esteban Ocon for the final point in P10, falling 0.8 seconds short at the chequered flag. Alfa Romeo head of track engineering Xevi Pujolar said after the race Giovinazzi had “himself decided that he wanted to stay ahead”.
Team principal Vasseur discussed the incident on Friday ahead of the United States Grand Prix, saying that Giovinazzi had been too conservative in his approach late on, but he did not wish to place blame.
“At one stage Kimi pushed more, and we thought that we were able to keep the tyres, and we asked Antonio either to push or to let him go,” Vasseur said.
“He was probably too conservative, but I don’t want to blame him. But we had the discussion.
“He was a bit lost with the quantity of the attack he has to do, that for sure he could be much faster. And he was too conservative.
“We lost the points, clearly, but I don’t want to blame Antonio that we had the discussion. I think he was sticking to the plan and when we had the window to push more, he took two or three laps to understand that he could push more. It is like it is.”
Asked if the team had cleared the air with Giovinazzi, Vasseur replied: “Yes.”
Giovinazzi’s future with Alfa Romeo remains unclear beyond the end of the season as the team continues to weigh up driver options to partner Valtteri Bottas in 2022.
Guanyu Zhou was understood to be leading the chase for the seat, but the possibility of an Andretti takeover of Sauber has led to uncertainty over how the team will proceed for the second seat.
Giovinazzi said on Thursday in Austin that it was “not ideal” to not know if he would be staying at Alfa Romeo for next season, accepting there was “some pressure on me”.
Vasseur shied away from commenting on the situation surrounding the ownership of the team, but said it was “not in a rush” to decide on the second seat.
“We have a couple of options and we will take a decision soon,” he said.
Related video
Previous article
US GP: Latest F1 technical developments direct from pitlane
Next article
Hulkenberg says F1 "train has probably left", ready for IndyCar
Why long-run times should please Red Bull in Austin F1 battle
Mercedes has been on a roll of late in the ultra-tight fight to win the 2021 Formula 1 world championship. It started off well in practice at Austin for this weekend’s US Grand Prix, but Red Bull got closer as Friday unfolded and even seemed to find an edge in one critical area of what seems set to be set to be another close contest.
The six critical factors that could hand F1 2021 glory to Hamilton or Verstappen
The 2021 Formula 1 title battle is finely poised with six races remaining, as just six points separate championship leader Max Verstappen from seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton. In such a closely-fought season, the outcome could hinge on several small factors playing the way of Red Bull or Mercedes
Can Whitmarsh appointment help Aston succeed where its F1 rivals failed?
Aston Martin owner Lawrence Stroll is determined to make the group a billion-dollar business. MARK GALLAGHER analyses his latest play – bringing former McLaren team principal Martin Whitmarsh into the fold
Remembering Switzerland’s first F1 winner
Stepping up to F1 in 1962, Jo Siffert shone with Rob Walker Racing Team and BRM before his career was abruptly ended in a fatal crash at Brands Hatch in 1971. Kevin Turner looks back at the life of Switzerland's first F1 winner on the 50th anniversary of his death
What Verstappen is risking with his current stance on 2021 F1 world title defeat
OPINION: Max Verstappen is back in the lead of the 2021 Formula 1 drivers’ championship, with the season’s final flyaway events set to get underway in the USA this weekend. But a defensive stance he’s recently adopted could have a lasting impact for the Red Bull driver when it comes to his chances of defeating Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes
The hidden Ferrari struggle that Sainz’s recent charge put to rest
Despite appearing to adjust to life as a Ferrari driver with relative ease, it was far from straightforward under the surface for Carlos Sainz. But, having made breakthroughs in rather different routes at the Russian and Turkish races, he’s now targeting even greater feats for the rest of the Formula 1 season
The final throes of Brazil's fleetingly successful F1 team
Emerson Fittipaldi is better remembered for his Formula 1 world championships and Indianapolis 500 successes than for the spell running his eponymous F1 team. Despite a hugely talented roll call of staff, it was a period of internal strife, limited funding and few results - as remembered by Tim Wright.
Why McLaren's expanding agenda will benefit its F1 resurgence
In the 1960s and 1970s, McLaren juggled works entries in F1, sportscars and the Indy 500 while building cars for F3 and F2. Now it’s returning to its roots, expanding into IndyCars and Extreme E while continuing its F1 renaissance. There’s talk of Formula E and WEC entries too. But is this all too much, too soon? Stuart Codling talks to the man in charge.
