Théo Pourchaire confirmed for FP1 run at US Grand Prix with Alfa Romeo

13 October 2022

Théo Pourchaire will get a run out during the United States Grand Prix weekend, driving in FP1 for Alfa Romeo at the Circuit of the Americas.

The team confirmed that the Frenchman will be at the wheel of Valtteri Bottas’ car for the session as he makes his Formula 1 Practice debut. Along with FP1 driving duties, Pourchaire was also confirmed as the team's reserve driver for 2023.

Pourchaire has been a part of the Sauber junior driver academy since 2019 and has previously driven for the team in a private test. The ART Grand Prix driver got to sample the C38 car at the Hungaroring in 2021 but will now get to drive this season’s C42 in the opening session of the US Grand Prix weekend.

Looking ahead to his F1 race weekend debut, Pourchaire said that it was a dream come true to get his opportunity.

“I am thrilled to be making my Free Practice debut in Austin; it will be my second time behind the wheel of a Formula 1 car, but in some ways, it will feel like it’s the first time, as this time it will be during an official Grand Prix session.

“It feels like a dream coming true, and I want to thank Alfa Romeo F1 Team ORLEN for putting their trust in me and granting me this amazing opportunity. I am looking forward to being on track, and I will make sure to get the most out of it and to do my best to support the team as they prepare for the United States Grand Prix.”

Alfa Romeo team boss Frédéric Vasseur said that the opportunity was a well-deserved one for the French driver after being part of the team’s academy for so many years.

“Théo has been delivering great performances over the course of this season, as well as during the previous years. We have been working closely with him for almost four years now, as a member of our Academy, and we have been impressed by his constant progress and development as a driver first and, equally importantly, as a person. We are delighted to give him his first Free Practice outing next week: it’s a well-deserved opportunity, and I’m confident he will once again impress us with his performances, as he will help the team gather valuable data ahead of the United States Grand Prix.”

Sporting Director Beat Zehnder added that the team had closely tracked Pourchaire’s impressive progress as a driver from his Formula 3 says and throughout his two seasons in Formula 2, calling him one of the most promising drivers coming through the junior ranks.

“Ever since he joined the Sauber Academy back in 2019, Théo has shown impressive progress. He has been a title winner in 2019 and a contender in 2020 in F3; in F2, particularly this season, he’s given his all and was in the battle for the title for most of the championship. He is, without any doubt, one of the most promising young drivers coming through the ranks, and it’s a pleasure for us to finally see him stepping up and earning his first Formula 1 Free Practice outing. From the very beginning he impressed us with his professional approach and dedication to always give his very best on- and off-track, and we can’t wait to see him further unlocking his potential on track.”