Pietro Fittipaldi to test for delayed Haas in Bahrain

Brazilian reserve Pietro Fittipaldi will test for Haas in Bahrain on Thursday following the departure of Russian driver Nikita Mazepin, the U.S.-owned Formula One team said.

Haas severed ties last week with Mazepin, 23, and title sponsor Uralkali, owned by his billionaire father Dmitry, after Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

The team have yet to say who will race alongside German Mick Schumacher when the season starts in Bahrain on March 20.

A spokesman said on Wednesday the cars had arrived late at the Sakhir circuit on Tuesday after the air freight was delayed by a technical issue.

"This delay will impact our programme but we are targeting being out on track for the second session Thursday afternoon with Pietro Fittipaldi driving the VF-22," he said, giving no further details.

Fittipaldi, the grandson of two-time world champion Emerson, stood in for Romain Grosjean at the 2020 Sakhir and Abu Dhabi Grands Prix after the Frenchman’s fiery crash.

Haas finished last in 2021 and were the only team not to score a point after focusing fully on developing their car for this year's major rule changes.

(Reporting by Alan Baldwin in London, editing by Jason Neely)