"According to the FCA, Antonio Giovinazzi’s signing to a Formula 1 race seat brings them considerable national pride.
Giovinazzi’s signing to a race seat at Sauber for 2019 means that the current Sauber reserve will become Italy’s first Formula 1 driver since Vitantontio Liuzzi left the sport at the end of 2011. While Giovinazzi has taken part in two races already as a substitute, he heads into 2019 as a full-blooded rookie who hasn’t raced on a full time basis since his 2016 GP2 campaign."
"Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, the parent company of Alfa Romeo, have said that the ever increasing presence of Alfa within F1 helped them to reach their decision to bring Giovinazzi onboard properly: “The decision to elect Antonio Giovinazzi is particularly significant in the scope of the project that this season saw the return of Alfa Romeo to the pinnacle of motorsports after a hiatus of more than 30 years. The coming together of Alfa Romeo and the Italian driver was natural, also considering the strong bond that has tied Giovinazzi to the brand from an early age, and is a source of national pride considering that several years have passed since an Italian driver has competed in Formula One.”
