Sauber has confirmed Antonio Giovinazzi will join Kimi Raikkonen in an all-new line-up at the team for the 2019 F1 season.

Giovinazzi’s arrival will leave incumbent Marcus Ericsson without a drive for next year.

Officially, Giovinazzi is taking Leclerc’s place at the team, according to a statement: “Following its tradition of discovering and nurturing young talents, the Alfa Romeo Sauber F1 Team has appointed the Italian driver, who has worked with the team for the past two years, to race in place of Charles Leclerc.”

Team principal Frederic Vasseur said they are “very pleased to reveal the complete driver line-up for the 2019 season.”

“We first signed Kimi Räikkönen, an extremely experienced driver who will contribute to the development of our car and will accelerate the progress of our team as a whole,” said Vasseur.

“Together with Alfa Romeo, we are delighted to welcome Antonio Giovinazzi, who will take the place of Charles Leclerc. We have already had the opportunity to work with him in the past and he has proven to have great potential.

“We are very determined and motivated. Our target is to continue progressing and fighting together for positions that count.”

Giovinazzi said the news is a “dream come true.”

“It is a great pleasure to have the chance to race for this team,” said the 24-year-old. “As an Italian, it is a huge honour for me to represent a brand as iconic and successful as Alfa Romeo in our sport.

“I would like to thank the Scuderia Ferrari and the Alfa Romeo Sauber F1 Team for giving me this great opportunity. I am very motivated and cannot wait to start working towards achieving great results together.”

Giovinazzi made two starts for the team last year as a substitute for Pascal Wehrlein.

View the current list of 2019 F1 drivers and teams

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2019 F1 season