Pietro Fittipaldi says it was “an honour” to bring his family name back into Formula 1 when he made his first appearance for Haas during ✤post-season testing in Abu Dhab♉i.

The 22-year-old Brazilian, a grandson of two-time F1 wo✤rld cham𓃲pion Emerson Fittipaldi, was recently named as Haas’ official test driver for 2019 and made his F1 bow on the opening day of the Pirelli tyre test at Yas Marina on Tuesday.

His test outing marked the first time the Fittipaldi name has appeared in F1 since the mid-1990s, when Christian Fittipaldi - the n♐ephew of Emerson Fittipaldi - participated in 43 grands prix for Minardi and Footwork between 1992 and 1994.

“For me it’s an honour to bring this name [back to F1], Fittipaldi꧑ said.

“Of course my grandfather has really good history in Formula 1 𒁃and IndyCar as well, to bring it back to Formula 1 it’s really an honour.

“A lot of people ask if it’s a pressure but like, I don’t feel like it’s a pressure, I feel like it’s a big privi🎃lege to have this wh☂ole family that supports me, gives me advice, knows so much about racing.

“There’s always🧸 going to be pressure but I’m here because I love racing, and I want to do well, I want to win races and I want to win championꦛships.

“There’s n🔴o-one that can put more pressure ꦆthan I put on myself, because I want to do well. That’s it, it’s a big privilege to be surrounded by great racers.”

Emerson Fittipaldi recorded 14 victories on his way to winning the 1972 and 1974 world championshi🌳ps with Lotus and McLaren respectively, while his brother, Wilson, set up and raced for their family-run team, which Emerson later joined.

Pietro is the highest-placed member of the Fittipaldi family on the single-seater ladder, having most notably won ♓the 2017 Formula V8 3.5 series before moving into IndyCar. 

H♔is younger brother, 17-year-old Enzo, is a member of the Ferrari Driver Academy and clinched the Italian F4 Championship🔜 with Prema in 2018.

Fittip🐷aldi finiꦓshed the day eighth in the timesheets and said he was overwhelmed by his first experience of F1 machinery, which he labelled as the “best car” he has ever driven.

“It took me a run or so to get🅷 comfortable in the car, but ꧃the F1 car is amazing,” he explained.

“It’s obviously the best car I’ve driven! I think everything you want i꧑n a race car the Formula 1 has.

“It’s like a perfect racing car, so was amazing to have the opportunity t🥀💎o test today.

“The braking was unbelievable, the braking is very fast, I think here you reach a top speed of 320 and there’s some braking where you’re b🌜raking 90 metres before the corner.

“It’s re🦄ally impressive, the braking, the acceleration, but also the cornering speed is imp𒐪ressive, the car has a lot of downforce.”