Brazilian reserve driver Pietro Fittipaldi will make his Formula One race debut with Haas at next weekend’s Sakhir Grand Prix in Bahrain as a stand-in for the injured Romain Grosjean, the US-owned team said on Monday.
Frenchman Grosjean suffered burns to the back of his hands in a fiery crash that split his car in two during Sunday’s Bahrain Grand Prix.
The 34-year-old is expected to remain in hospital until Tuesday.
“After it was decided that the best thing for Romain was to skip at least one race, the choice to put Pietro in the car was pretty easy,” said team principal Guenther Steiner in a statement.
“He’s familiar with us having been around the team for the past two seasons as a test and reserve driver.
“He’s been patient and was always prepared for this opportunity and now it has come. That’s why we want him in the car and I’m sure he’ll do a good job.”