Ferrari announce F1 debuts for Schumacher, Ilott and Shwartzman

Formula 2 title contenders Mick Schumacher and Callum Ilott will make their F1 debuts in practice for the forthcoming Eifel Grand Prix.

Ferrari has also confirmed another member of its driver academy in Robert Shwartzman will make his F1 bow in practice for the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

The Scuderia has struck a deal with customer teams Alfa Romeo and Haas that will enable the three promising academy talents to sample an official F1 session for the first time.

F2 championship leader Schumacher has been repeatedly linked with a move to Alfa Romeo for 2021 and will contest FP1 at the Nurburgring with the team, driving in place of Antonio Giovinazzi.

“I am overjoyed to get this chance in free practice," said Schumacher, the son of seven-time world champion Michael.

"The fact that my first participation in a Formula 1 weekend will take place in front of my home audience at the Nürburgring makes this moment even more special.

"I would like to thank Alfa Romeo Racing and the Ferrari Driver Academy for giving me the opportunity to get another taste of Formula 1 one and a half years after our common test drive in Bahrain.

"For the next 10 days, I'm going to prepare myself well, so that I can do the best possible job for the team and gain some valuable data for the weekend.”

Ilott will drive for Haas in place of Romain Grosjean, a move that will inevitably spark questions over the Frenchman's future with the outfit.

“It’s a real privilege to get my first run in a free practice session, especially to do it with Haas F1 Team,” said Ilott.

“It’s amazing to have this chance at a track that is one of my favourites – it was where I scored the first podium of my career back in 2015.

"The Nürburgring means a lot to me and is a track with real heritage, so it’s great that I’ll have my first outing at a Formula 1 race weekend there."

Shwartzman, who has dropped out of the championship hunt after a run of two weekends without a point, will test with Alfa Romeo in Abu Dhabi.

In preparation, all three drivers will complete laps in the 2018 Ferrari SF71H at the manufacturer's Fiorano test track on September 30.

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