Formula 1's new and returning drivers for 2019

Antonio Giovinazzi

Antonio Giovinazzi had a couple of race starts for Sauber in 2017

Team: Sauber

Age: 25

Experience: 2 GP Starts (2017)

Race Number: #99

The first of our returning drivers is Antonio Giovinazzi, who becomes the first Italian to be a full-time Formula 1 driver since Jarno Trulli and Vitantonio Liuzzi in 2011, a full eight years ago.

Giovinazzi actually made his F1 debut two years ago, in the wake of Pascal Wehrlein's Race of Champions injury, which kept the German out of action for two races. Gio produced a decent display in Australia, finishing a respectable 12th.

There was the talk of Antonio remaining in the car for the rest of the season, however, this was quickly shot down, after the Italian wrecked two cars in China at the following race.

Despite this, don't expect Gio to struggle in 2019, although he'll need to do extremely well to beat team-mate, Kimi Raikkonen. Sauber have worked with Giovinazzi during 2018 and he knows their car, this is a decision that the Swiss outfit won't have rushed and they have probably made the right one.