The 24-year-old Fittipaldi made his first F1 appearance at the Sakhir and Abu Dhabi Grand Prix last December after Grosjean was kicked out of the race due to injuries sustained in his fiery GP crash in Bahrain.
The Brazilian finished 17th and 19th in his first F1 races, having previously tested his VF-18 and VF-19 cars in 2018 and 19.
While there hasn’t been a vacancy to get a full-time racing seat this year, Fittipaldi has always been determined to maintain a close relationship with F1 alongside his other racing commitments. He’s been looking for opportunities in IndyCar for 2021 but nothing is finalized yet.
Regarding the extension of his stay with Haas, Fittipaldi said: “I am very happy to be able to continue my third year with the Haas F1 Team.
“I am once again grateful to Gene (Haas) and Günther (Steiner) for the opportunity. I’ve been working with the engineers for a few years now and I really feel like it’s a big family at Haas. It’s great. It is I am delighted to be able to continue working with the team.
“With the two races I drove last year, I only gained more experience, and I’m sure that I can contribute more to the team as a result. I’m really looking forward to the new one.” I am very much looking forward to continuing my relationship with Haas and being back in Bahrain in March. “
Pietro’s, the grandson of two-time world champion and double Indy 500 winner Emerson Fittipaldi, has achieved multiple race wins and four titles (including the Formula V8 3.5 championship and Formula Renault) as well as several IndyCar starts.
Haas CEO Gunther Steiner added: “We are all excited to continue our relationship with Pietro Fittipaldi. The role of test and reserve driver means you may be called up to drive on very short notice. This turned out to be Pietro in Bahrain in late 2020 .
“Despite the demands of driving with little time to prepare, it undoubtedly did a solid job for us – not least because it hadn’t even tested the VF-20. It wasn’t caught up at the moment, it turned out to be patiently and ultimately he did what he was asked to – he brought the car home in Bahrain and Abu Dhabi.
“This first hand experience will only add value to what he brings to the team in his role this season. We look forward to working with Pietro and having him back with us all year round to have.”
