Sauber announces Tatiana Calderon as test driver
- Published on 06 Mar 2018 16:08
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- By: Rob Veenstra
The Alfa Romeo Sauber F1 Team is delighted to announce that Tatiana Calderón will be active as Test Driver for the 2018 FIA Formula 1 season. In 2017, Tatiana Calderón started working with the team as Development Driver, being promoted to the role of Test Driver this season. She will be completing simulator training sessions and coaching with engineers both on-site during several GP weekends, as well as at the team’s headquarters in Hinwil, Switzerland.
The 24-year-old Colombian started her racing career when she was nine years old, winning multiple National Championships in her native Country and in the United States. She stepped up to single seaters in the Star Mazda Series, part of the road to Indy Program in America, before moving to Europe where she has competed in different Championships such as Euroformula Open, British F3, FIA F3 and GP3. Some of her recent career highlights include podium finishes in British F3, and in the Euroformula open, 2nd overall in the 2016 MRF challenge and a podium in the last round of the prestigious World Series Formula V8 in 2017. For the 2018 season, Calderón is competing in the GP3 Series again, in addition to her engagement with the Alfa Romeo Sauber F1 Team as Test Driver.
Tatiana Calderón: “I am very pleased to confirm my role as Test Driver for the Alfa Romeo Sauber F1 Team in the 2018 season. This collaboration will build upon the experience that I have gained as Development Driver with the team over the past year, and I look forward to continuing on this positive path together. I have been able to substantially expand and develop my skills as a race driver, and I am convinced that I will be doing so throughout this year. I would like to thank the Alfa Romeo Sauber F1 Team for this marvelous opportunity, which would not have been possible without the long-term support that I am receiving from Escuderia Telmex. I look forward to this season, and will give my all to demonstrate my capabilities in both GP3 and Formula 1.”
Frédéric Vasseur, Team Principal, Alfa Romeo Sauber F1 Team: “We are very pleased to continue our collaboration with Tatiana Calderón as our Test Driver. Tatiana is a very hard-working person, who has impressed the team with her focus and dedication. She has made good progress as a driver, developing both her mental and physical capacities continuously over the past few years. We look forward to having Tatiana on board for our first chapter as the Alfa Romeo Sauber F1 Team.”
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Replies (5)
Login to replyajpennypacker
Posts: 2,475
I really really hope Tatiana turns out to be a real talent, but I don't see anything in her racing resume to suggest that. I just think it's a disservice to women in F1 to bring them largely as marketing props. I still remember how Susie Wolff at Williams, she was the official reserve driver, but Williams looked past her a couple of times when she could have driven a grand prix.
Hepp
Posts: 200
People-GoDaddy, Monster, Nike, et al, backed Danica Patrick for a while, here in North America, and her looks outshined her talents (average talent and a pretty face in a "man's sport"). She pulled in a lot of viewers and sponsors. Now she has retired from Indycar/Nascar with a nice bank account and both sports needed that boost.
True talent is needed as well as more fans to root for the "underdog" .
calle.itw
Posts: 8,527
I really wish Susie could've been able to race at least once, but sadly I dont think she was F1 material. If we look at her record, she wasnt ever really good at racing in general.
Mansell
Posts: 104
can't be worse then Jorda
boudy
Posts: 1,168
She's not that fast or consistent when I saw her in f3. Good luck to her but she won't be able to race.