P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Who is Cian Shields? Aston Martin debutant and son of millionaire with controversial business
Aston Martin will field two rookies during FP1 at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, one of them being F1 debutant Cian Shields, taking over Fernando Alonso’s seat.
Despite not scoring points in 23 F2 races this season, Shields, born in Glasgow in 2005, is being given a chance over other young talents.
Starting karting at 11, Shields moved to single-seaters in 2022 and has progressed through GB3 and F3 before landing a full-time F2 seat.
Shields has yet to score a point in his 27 F2 races, but Aston Martin remains committed to him, setting the stage for his F1 session debut.
Shields’ dad, Seamus Shields, a millionaire through a Glasgow construction firm, has faced scrutiny for alleged environmental violations, while the racing world anticipates the young driver’s debut in Abu Dhabi.
