Photo: Zak Mauger / FIA Formula 2
The Trident Formula 2 team has terminated Santino Ferrucci’s contract after the American driver earned a two-round ban for deliberately crashing into team-mate Arjun Maini at Silverstone.
As well as the contact with Maini on the cool-down lap following the sprint race in Britain, Ferrucci was also sanctioned for using a phone while driving between the F2 paddock and the Formula 1 pit-lane, and declined to attend when summoned by the stewards.
After his ban was announced, Trident came out in support of Maini and his family after “the unsportsmanlike and above all uncivilised behaviour that he was forced to endure not only during this last weekend by Santino Ferrucci and father, who accompanied him.”
Trident has now confirmed that Ferrucci will not return to the team once he has served his ban, citing not only the incidents at Silverstone but also a failure to pay the team.
The team highlighted that Ferrucci blamed the non-payment on his sponsors despite being able to make his IndyCar debut in Detroit in June with Dale Coyne Racing.
In a statement, it said: “Trident Motorsport informs to have communicated to Santino Ferrucci and to its guarantor, a company represented by [his father] Mr. Michael Ferrucci, the termination of the contract with the Team.
“This decision was motivated by the events – which are now of public domain – occurred at Silverstone, as well as by the serious breach of Driver?s payment obligations.
“Since the beginning of the championship, the Driver justified its payments? default with alleged failure by his sponsors to fulfil their obligations.
“It seems weird that, despite such kind of issues, Santino Ferrucci had the resources needed to enter the Detroit Indy race from June 1st to 3rd while, at the same time, he was not honouring his agreement with Trident Motorsport.
“Trident gave mandate to its lawyers in order to activate all the procedures needed to fully recover its credits towards the driver.”
Trident has yet to announce a replacement for Ferrucci for the next round of the F2 season at the Hungaroring next weekend.
The Haas Formula 1 team has yet to make a statement on whether Ferrucci will continue as a junior driver with the outfit.