Jordan's Track Talk

Tag: Alfa Romeo

  • Zhou signs for 2024!

    China’s first full-time F1 driver, Zhou Guanyu has signed a new deal to extend his stay with Alfa Romeo into the 2024 season with Valtteri Bottas.

    Zhou first made his debut with the Sauber-run Swiss team in 2022, scoring a point on debut in Bahrain and has then shown strong progress since.

    This contract extension means, that the Zhou will have the opportunity to race on home soil for the first time in F1, with the Chinese Grand Prix returning to the calendar next year.

    This move gives the team stability as the 24 year old’s teammate, Bottas has already got a contract for 2024, which he signed a multi-year deal that comes to a conclusion at the end of next season.

    The team has also announced F2 Championship leader, Theo Pourchaire will continue in his role as the reserve driver in 2024.

    Signing again with the team is always a great feeling, especially when we know how things are shaping up. I am proud to be part of Alfa Romeo and grateful for their trust. I have been working extremely hard since day one and there is an incredible level of motivation to keep doing so every day forward. My relationship with Valtteri is really good, and we are working closely together and with the team to push everyone forward. I am also very excited about the opportunity to finally race with my team in China, in front of my home crowd. It will be a great moment and I’m proud to be able to share it with all those who have supported me.

    Zhou on the announcement.

    The decision to continue our journey with our driver line-up unchanged is testament to the investment we have made in our project. Nothing in Formula 1 changes overnight, and we have taken a conscious decision to focus on stability and to keep building our team up together as we embark on an important period of transition. Valtteri and Zhou are drivers of known talent and skill and they work really well together: they are well-matched and can push each other. Valtteri has taken a real leader’s role within the team, pushing us all to give our best; Zhou has made impressive steps forward in the last two years and we expect him to continue on this trajectory in 2024. Now the baton is back to us – we have to give both drivers a good car and put them in the best conditions to perform.

    Team Representative, Alessandro Alunni Bravi.

    Over the years, the team has become a family to me and, therefore, I am really happy and grateful to continue my journey with Alfa Romeo and the Sauber Academy. The support I have received from everyone in the team has been outstanding, and I’m proud to be able to contribute to the growth of the whole operation.

    Pourchaire sticking with his role.

  • Alfa Romeo announce James Key as Technical Director

    Alfa Romeo have made another change to their F1 organisation after announcing James Key as their new Technical Director, replacing Jan Monchaux.

    Key, who will officially start work on September 1st 2023, previously represented the Hinwil-based operation as Technical Director for the then Sauber team from 2010 to 2012.

    Marking Key’s first role since his exit from McLaren earlier this year, his appointment has been described as “a statement of intent” by the squad ahead of them becoming Audi’s works team in 2026.

    Key has represented several other teams, including Jordan Grand Prix, where he became F1’s youngest ever Technical Director at the age of 33 in 2005, the following guises of Midland, Spyker and Force India, as well as stints at Sauber, Toro Rosso and McLaren.

    I am delighted to be returning to Hinwil to work with old, and new, colleagues at Sauber; I have very fond memories of my time there before. I am looking forward to leading the technical side of the team at one of the most critical junctures of its long history as we head towards a new and exciting future. There is a huge amount of work ahead of us, but I am confident that every single member of our team working in Hinwil will have the commitment, determination and hunger to get us to the top. We know it will require time, effort and perseverance, and the dividends from this work will only arrive over the next two seasons and beyond, but we have a journey ahead of us and a roadmap to follow which I am eager to get started. I am grateful to Andreas [Seidl] for the confidence he has placed in me and look forward to repaying his trust and working closely with him on the challenges and ambitions ahead.

    Key on the new role.

    I am delighted to welcome James back home to Hinwil as he joins us to shape the future of this team. The operation he will find has changed a lot since his time here, but the same drive, the same commitment that contributed to making the team successful in his previous experience are still the same: I am sure that, together with this very talented and committed team, we will be able to continue on the path of growth on which we have embarked. James’ appointment is a crucial step on this journey: he has an outstanding amount of experience in the sport, not just as Technical Director, but also in various other roles within the technical organisation of a team. He will lead the transformation process of the technical side of the team, giving us the tools and direction we need to tackle the future. I also want to thank Jan for his precious contribution to taking Sauber to where it is now, following our most successful season in a decade, in which we climbed to sixth place in the Constructors’ Championship.

    Sauber Group CEO, Seidl.

  • C43

    Alfa Romeo have presented their new car for the F1 season, the C43 with a bold red and black livery taking over from the red and white colour scheme used during recent campaigns.

    Described as “aggressive on and below the skin” the car was unveiled to work in a joint presentation in Zurich and at the outfit’s headquarters in Hinwil, Switzerland by continuing team mates Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu, who combined to secure P6 in last year’s constructors’ standings.

    At the same time, a series of CGI images and videos released on Alfa Romeo’s social media channels showed the C43 coming together piece by piece, whilst Augmented Reality enabled fans to bring the launch experience into their own homes.

    C43_Front-Dynamic-Left-V4_LM_BOT_4-5.jpg

    New title sponsor Stake take centre stage on the livery, which will be the last to feature Alfa Romeo branding as the company prepare to end their sponsorship deal ahead of Audi joining forces with the Sauber-run operation.

    Alfa Romeo’s new car is set to hit the track for a shakedown session in Barcelona this week, before heading to Bahrain for pre-season testing.

    Bringing a car to life is a long process which touches every department of a racing team, therefore it’s a moment of great pride to see it unveiled today. We chose to do it in front of our fans, close to our home, because the launch of a new car is not only a moment to state your objectives for the season ahead; it’s also a time to give back to the people who have supported you, be it in the grandstands, in front of the TV or back at the factory, and express our gratitude for their passion and their belief in our project. Our new car is the result of months of work, but today is just the beginning of a journey. We need to keep working hard, with humility and dedication, to bring performance to the track. Everyone in the team is committed to this target and I am confident we will reap the rewards of our work.

    Alunni Bravi, speaking of the launch.

    I am very proud of what we have achieved over these last months, because creating a new car is always a massive effort from the team. This car is an evolution of last year, reflecting the new regulations and introducing major changes in the areas where we found improvements to be needed. I hope it’s going to be quicker than the successful car we had last year, that’s what matters most, and more reliable as well. We have put a lot of effort in this direction. Now, it’s time to get to the track and see how this car performs. I’m happy to get back to racing and I’m confident there will be much more to come from us soon.

    Jan Monchaux, Technical Director.

  • Alfa Romeo confirm new title sponsor

    Alfa Romeo have announced entertainment and lifestyle brand Stake as their new title sponsor, meaning the team will have an altered team name and logo for the upcoming F1 campaign.

    Stake were founded in 2017, and have since built up a strong presence in the sporting world, with the Sauber-run Alfa team announcing the “record breaking” partnership would run for 2023 “and beyond”.

    Fans will be able to see the visual results of the tie-up when Alfa Romeo launch their latest F1 car to the world in Zurich on February 7th.

    We welcome Stake as a new co-title partner for the team in what represents the start of a new era for us both. Formula 1 has seen a huge increase in interest over the last few years and the arrival of brands such as Stake are representative of the massive exposure our sport can offer. We are excited to join such a portfolio of sports and entertainment brands and we’re looking forward to the activation programme that Stake will unveil for our fans.

    Alessandro Alunni Bravi on the news.

    Meanwhile, former Alfa Romeo title sponsor ORLEN – a Polish oil refiner and petrol retailer – have struck up a new deal with AlphaTauri to become a ‘Principal Partner’ of the squad.

    ORLEN’s branding is set to feature on “multiple prime locations” of the AT04, the livery for which will be revealed in New York on February 11th.

    ORLEN are one of the leading oil and gas companies in Central Europe and this partnership will allow them to further increase their brand awareness, through the global platforms we offer as a team. I’m looking forward to seeing their logo featured on our new car at the launch in New York City next month and also how this partnership progresses over the coming years

    Franz Tost,
    https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cn6ThwwKURo/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

  • Alfa Romeo appoints Bravi as Team Representative

    Alfa Romeo have confirmed that Sauber Group Managing Director Alessandro Alunni Bravi will be taking on the additional role of Team Representative for the 2023 F1 campaign.

    Alunni Bravi has been part of the Sauber Group, who run the Alfa Romeo F1 entry – since 2017 and is now set to represent the team in all functions at race weekends and away from track. This follows as Andreas Seidl was appointed CEO of the Sauber Group.

    A Sauber press release added that Alunni Bravi will be ‘working together with the technical and operational departments to continue the team’s growth and success’.

    Alfa Romeo edged out Aston Martin for P6 in the 2022 constructors standings with Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu remaining as their two drivers for the upcoming season.

    I want to thank Andreas and our shareholders for their trust, and I want to reiterate my commitment to giving my best to live up to their expectations and represent the team in the best possible way. It is a huge privilege to keep working with a group of incredible people who, over many years, have helped me integrate within the Sauber Group: what they gave me in this time will enable me to fulfil this task and represent the team according to our shared vision and our objectives. I am fully conscious of the work we have ahead of us and of the challenges that face us: I approach this task with humility, knowing I am part of a strong team that will get the job done, and with the belief we have everything we need for a successful future.

    Alunni on his new role.

    I am delighted to confirm the appointment of Alessandro Alunni Bravi to the role of Team Representative, in addition to his existing duties of Managing Director of the Group. His vast experience in motorsport has equipped him with all the tools he needs to succeed, and his intimate knowledge of the team, of which he has been part for more than five years, will ensure stability and continuity in our progression. Alessandro representing the team during the Formula 1 championship will allow me to focus on growing the Group and preparing for the challenges and opportunities that await us. I thank Alessandro for his belief in our vision and I welcome him to this additional position. I am convinced this is another valuable addition to what is without any doubt a very strong team, from the drivers to the management team, to each one of our employees, capable of building on last year’s success and creating a bright future for Sauber.

    Seidl on the latest news.

  • 07.02.23

    Alfa Romeo have become the ninth team to reveal when they will be launching their new car ahead of the 2023 Formula 1 season.

    The Swiss based outfit confirmed that they will be pulling the covers off their 2023 challenger on Tuesday, 7th February. The car, which will be called the C43, will be launched at an event in Zurich.

    Alfa Romeo will be hoping the car can build on the promising start they made to Formula 1’s new era which kicked off last season. They were regular point scorers in the first half of the season before other teams began to catch up. Nonetheless, the team managed to hold on and beat Aston Martin to P6 in the constructors’ championship.

    Piloting the cars this year will be Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu – the team one of four in the pit lane to stick with the same line-up and retain both drivers for this coming season.

    But there changes at the top, as Andreas Seidl is joining the Sauber Group as CEO, with one of his first tasks set to be finding a team boss to replace Vasseur.

  • Seidl appointed CEO of Sauber Group

    McLaren Team Principal, Andreas Seidl will become Sauber’s new Chief Executive Officer in January.

    Fred Vasseur is set to vacate the role, which he dovetailed with his duties as Team Principal of Alfa Romeo, to take over from Mattia Binotto at Ferrari.

    Once Seidl is in place, Sauber who will become Audi’s factory team in 2026 – say he will focus on working on the appointment of the squad’s new team principal.

    Seidl returns to Sauber, having worked their previously as Head of Trackside Operations for several years. He subsequently won several World Endurance Championship titles with Porsche as Team Principal before joining McLaren in 2019.

    It is great to join the Sauber Group from January: this is a team with a rich history in Formula 1 and an organisation I know really well from my time working and living in Hinwil for four years. I can’t wait to join the team and work with all the colleagues at the Sauber Group on the ambitious goals we have set together. I want to thank Finn Rausing and everyone at the Sauber Group for their choice: I am looking forward to repaying their trust with my work.

    Seidl on his move.

    It is an immense pleasure to welcome Andreas Seidl back to Hinwil as CEO of the Sauber Group. Andreas’s experience is second to none and he brings to Sauber Group a clear understanding of what is required to achieve sustained success. He takes over a company on an upward path and he shares our commitment to keeping our organisation growing: I look forward to many years of success together.

    Sauber Holding AG Chairman of the Board of Directors, Finn Rausing

  • Vasseur leaves Alfa Romeo, joins Ferrari

    Fred Vasseur will be leaving his role as Alfa Romeo Team Principal and Sauber Motorsport CEO in January 2023, after six years with the Swiss operation.

    Vasseur first joined Sauber in 2017 with the team 10th and last in the constructors’ championship, and set about rebuilding and growing the famous marque.

    They’ve taken on Alfa Romeo as a title sponsor and secured the team’s best constructors’ championship finish in a decade with sixth this season.

    The Frenchman, also played a key role in the deal that will see Audi enter Formula 1 in 2026 by making Sauber their factory team.

    As I prepare to bring my adventure at Alfa Romeo F1 Team ORLEN to an end, I can look back fondly at these six years together. I owe a debt of gratitude to every single employee of the team, as they are the ones who got this team back on their feet and climbing the ladder of our sport. I am proud of the job we collectively have done as a team and a company, and even more so of the strong foundations we have laid for what’s to come next: but what I am the proudest of is the people that made this all possible, which in time have become friends. This team will always feel like home and I’ll be rooting for it wherever I go. I have learnt so much during my stint as a CEO and Team Principal and I feel each day has equipped me for what is to come. I know Alfa Romeo F1 Team ORLEN will keep going from strength to strength and I’m looking forward to seeing them compete at the business end of the grid in the next few years.

    Fred Vasseur on leaving the team.

    Ferrari have appointed Fred Vasseur as Team Principle with the Alfa Romeo boss and Sauber Motorsport CEO replacing Mattia Binotto from January 2023.

    Following weeks of discussions, Vasseur decided to end his six year tenure at Sauber and join Ferrari in what is one of the biggest – if not the biggest job in motorsport.

    Vasseur brings with him more than two decades’ worth of motorsport experience, including a stint as team boss at Renault during the 2016 campaign.

    We are delighted to welcome Fred Vasseur to Ferrari as our Team Principal. Throughout his career he has successfully combined his technical strengths as a trained engineer with a consistent ability to bring out the best in his drivers and teams. This approach and his leadership are what we need to push Ferrari forward with renewed energy.

    Ferrari CEO, Benedetto Vigna.

    I am truly delighted and honoured to take over the leadership of Scuderia Ferrari as Team Principal. As someone who has always held a lifelong passion for motorsport, Ferrari has always represented the very pinnacle of the racing world to me. I look forward to working with the talented and truly passionate team in Maranello to honour the history and heritage of the Scuderia and deliver for our Tifosi around the world.

    Fred Vasseur on his new role.

  • Pourchaire to make FP1 debut

    Sauber Academy driver, Theo Pourchaire will be making his F1 race weekend debut at the Circuit of the Americas during the United States Grand Prix. Where he will be driving in first practice for Alfa Romeo and he will also be one of the teams reserve drivers for 2023.

    Pourchaire, joined the Sauber Academy in 2019 and will be taking over Valtteri Bottas’s C42 on Friday in Texas. The Frenchman has previously driven for the team in a private test, he got to sample the C38 car at the Hungaroring in 2021.

    Currently 2nd in the Formula 2 standings, Pourchaire has taken home 3 wins and 3 further podiums, he currently has 164 points to his name and will be wanting to score more in the final round in Abu Dhabi.

    Theo has been delivering great performances over the course of this season, as well as during the previous years. We have been working closely with him for almost four years now, as a member of our Academy, and we have been impressed by his constant progress and development as a driver first and, equally importantly, as a person. We are delighted to give him his first Free Practice outing next week: it’s a well-deserved opportunity, and I’m confident he will once again impress us with his performances, as he will help the team gather valuable data ahead of the United States Grand Prix.

    Team Principal, Frederic Vasseur.

    I am thrilled to be making my Free Practice debut in Austin; it will be my second time behind the wheel of a Formula 1 car, but in some ways, it will feel like it’s the first time, as this time it will be during an official Grand Prix session. It feels like a dream coming true, and I want to thank Alfa Romeo F1 Team for putting their trust in me and granting me this amazing opportunity: I am looking forward to being on track, and I will make sure to get the most out of it and to do my best to support the team as they prepare for the United States Grand Prix.

    Theo Pourchaire on his FP1 debut.

    Ever since he joined the Sauber Academy back in 2019, Théo has shown impressive progress. He has been a title winner in 2019 and a contender in 2020 in F3; in F2, particularly this season, he’s given his all and was in the battle for the title for most of the championship. He is, without any doubt, one of the most promising young drivers coming through the ranks, and it’s a pleasure for us to finally see him stepping up and earning his first Formula One Free Practice outing. From the very beginning he impressed us with his professional approach and dedication to always give his very best on- and off-track, and we can’t wait to see him further unlocking his potential on track.

    Alfa Romeo’s Sporting Director, Beat Zehnder.

  • Zhou stays with Alfa Romeo

    Alfa Romeo have announced that Zhou Guanyu has a fresh new deal, that will keep the Chinese driver at the team for 2023, alongside Valtteri Bottas.

    Zhou hit the ground running by scoring a point on his debut in Bahrain and then followed that up with two more points finishes, at Canada and Italian Grand Prix. In total, Zhou has scored six points so far this season, compared to Bottas’ tally of 46, however its felt internally that tally would be much higher had he not suffered a series of mechanical problems.

    The strong relationship built up between the team mate Bottas, who is on a multi-year deal played a part in opting to give Zhou a second season.

    The team, have been impressed by his “commitment and attitude” as well as displaying “levels of maturity and race craft that belie his young age”.

    I am looking forward to continuing working with Zhou. From day one with the team, at the Abu Dhabi test last year, he has impressed me with his approach to work and this is always a very positive trait. We knew he was quick, but the way he adapted to Formula 1 in such a short time has been one of the best surprises of our season. He is a very nice guy, everyone in the team likes both his personality and attitude. He has had the humility to ask questions and learn, from the engineers as well as Valtteri, and the intelligence to apply all the information he got to improve race after race. He will have this experience to draw on next season, and I am sure he will make another step forward as we continue to grow our team

    Alfa Romeo boss, Fred Vasseur.

    I am happy and grateful to Alfa Romeo F1 Team for the opportunity to be part of the team for another season. Making it to Formula 1 was a dream come true and the feeling of competing for the first time in a race will live with me forever: the team has been incredibly supportive, welcoming me from day one and helping me adapt to the most complex series in motorsport. There is more that I want to achieve in this sport and with the team, and the hard work we have put together since the start of the year is just the first step towards where we want to be next season. There is still a lot to learn, a lot to develop but I am confident in our work: I am looking forward to the next chapter of our story together.

    Zhou Gunayu on his new contract.

  • Alfa Romeo to end Sauber contract in 2023

    Alfa Romeo say they will end their title sponsorship of Sauber when their current arrangement expires at the close of the 2023 Formula 1 campaign.

    The famous Italian marque returned to Formula 1 in 2018 through a technical and commercial partnership and in the summer of 2021 announced a multi-year extension with “year assessments”.

    Last month, the opted to continue into 2023 “given the promising results f the first half of the season, both in terms of performances, marketing and positive collaboration with the team”.

    But ahead of this weekends Belgian Grand Prix, with around a season and a half to go on the current agreement, Alfa Romeo took the opportunity to put an end date on their relationship.

    Alfa Romeo, who currently run Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu are currently sixth in the constructors championship (they ended last year ninth) with 51 points.

    Since the economic and industrial turnaround of the brand will be achieved in 2022, Alfa Romeo will now evaluate among the many opportunities on the table, and decide which will be the best one to sustain the long term strategy and the positioning of the Brand.

    The team on leaving their contract with Sauber.

  • Drivers contracts

    With the new season about to start in the next few weeks, we shall be expecting drivers to sign new contracts throughout the season. So lets take a look at when they run out.

    This year we have 10 drivers from 8 different teams, whose contracts are running out. Some older drivers may think about leaving the sport depending on whether they can get a contract extension or a new contract for a different team. Other drivers may consider switching teams.

    We could potentially see some drivers from Formula 2 come up for 2023 as there is lots of young drivers in F1 teams programme, so teams may want to use their sister teams to get their backed driver in the sport. As well as this we also have Oscar Piastri who is a reserve this year waiting for a seat for next year.

    Lance Stroll is on a multi year contract, no-one officially knows how long it is but it is to be expected either till the end of this year or 2023, which will then make it 11 drivers contracts running out this year.

    With Max and Lando both getting contract extensions already this year, we could potentially see some more drivers get longer contracts too. Carlos Sainz is said to be negotiating a new contract with Ferrari.

    DriverTeamContract end
    Sergio PerezRed Bull Racing2022
    Carlos SainzFerrari2022
    Fernando AlonsoAlpine2022
    Yuki TsunodaAlphaTauri2022
    Pierre GaslyAlpha Tauri2022
    Sebastian VettelAston Martin2022
    Mick SchumacherHaas2022
    Nicholas LatifiWilliams2022
    Alex AlbonWilliams2022
    Guanyu ZhouAlfa Romeo2022
    Lewis HamiltonMercedes2023
    George RussellMercedes2023
    Daniel RicciardoMcLaren2023
    Charles LeclercFerrari2024
    Esteban OconAlpine2024
    Valtteri BottasAlfa Romeo2024
    Lando NorrisMcLaren2025
    Max VerstappenRed Bull Racing2028
    Lance StrollAston MartinUnknown
  • C42

    C42

    Alfa Romeo, are the last team to show the world their 2022 challenger with a new bold livery.

    The team, has run a special camouflage design during the three days of pre-season running in Barcelona, with Valtteri Bottas, rookie Guanyu Zhou and reserve Robert Kubica sharing driving duties.

    The Swiss team, had a series of mechanical glitches which confined the car to the garage for long periods, and they only managed 175 laps, putting them ninth out of 10 teams in the mileage charts.

    Alfa Romeo will have another chance alongside the other nine teams to gain more mileage as they head to Bahrain for the Official Pre Season Test which begins on March 10th.

    “The start of the season is always an exciting time, one in which we see the fruit of the work of hundreds of people over a long period of time,” said Team Principal Fred Vasseur. “The C42 is a car we look forward to seeing racing, not just because it is the first we built in this new regulations cycle, one in which racing should be closer and more thrilling, but because we have the utmost confidence in this car helping the team make a big step forward towards the front of the grid.”

    Bottas, who joined from Mercedes said: “What is exciting is that we have no idea how that first race is going to pan out. Testing helped us confirm our expectations of where we stand, the progress we have made with the car, but now we are getting closer to the moment that really matters. Since I joined, I have seen so much motivation within this team: everyone is pushing a lot, trying to work harder than the others to be competitive, and that in turn gives me that extra boost when I am in the cockpit.”

    Zhou, who finished third in F2 last year before stepping up to F1 with Alfa Romeo, said: “I am fully pumped up for the season and seeing the C42 in the livery in which I will race it definitely makes it real. We are at the beginning of a new era, with new cars and new regulations, and this creates an opportunity for all teams to make progress since we are all starting from scratch. Everyone at Alfa Romeo F1 Team Orlen has been incredibly helpful since I joined and seeing all the hard work, the commitment and motivation from everyone, in Hinwil and at the track, fills me with pride and excitement. I can’t wait to be on the grid with this car and work with my team to bring home the results we are targeting together.”

  • 27.02.22

    Another car date has been revealed and that being Alfa Romeo and they will be revealing their car, the C42 on the 27th of February.

    The team will be having an all new line-up this year with Valtteri Bottas joining from Mercedes, and F2 Graduate Guanyu Zhou joining the team for his rookie year in Formula One.

    The launch date is after Barcelona pre-season shakedown (February 23rd to 25th), this means that Alfa Romeo will be having a special livery for the shakedown in Barcelona.

    The team who are based in Switzerland have changed their name from Alfa Romeo Racing to Alfa Romeo F1 Team for 2022, as the team enters a new era.

    CEO Jean-Philippe Imparato explained the name change: “For us, adding the wording ‘F1 Team’ to our team’s name is highly significant and makes us proud: it epitomises Alfa Romeo’s commitment to the most exclusive motorsport competition there is, where this brand has written indelible pages in its history. On the other hand, it represents the team spirit of cohesion, in which Alfa Romeo intends to play a leading role. With this new team and logo, a new, exciting line-up and a new car ready to be unveiled, we are ready for an exciting new season.”

  • Young Drivers Test 2021

    The Young Drivers Test, allows an opportunity for teams to field junior drivers to gain experience in F1 machinery, this takes place once a year and always once the season has ended. Lets take a look at who is driving for which team!

    Mercedes-

    Nyck de Vries will be in the silver arrows. This is no surprise to me, as his took part in it last year. Not only this, but Nyck is a test and reserve driver for Mercedes. The dutchman has driven in Formula E since 2020 with the Mercedes EQ Formula E Team and this year he became the first ever World Champion in Formula E.

    Red Bull-

    We have Formula 2 driver, Juri Vips driving for Red Bull in the YDT. Juri is apart of the Red Bull Junior Team, once again this isn’t Vips first time in the YDT, he drove for Red Bull last year too. Vips hasn’t got anything lined up for next year he could become Red Bull’s Test and reserve driver, as Alex Albon is going to Williams next year.

    Ferrari-

    Ferrari have two drivers doing the test for them, Robert Shwartzman who is apart of the Ferrari Driver Academy, and finished 2nd this year in Formula 2 Championship. As well as Antonio Fuoco. Fuoco done his first test with the Italian team back in 2015 and was also part of the Ferrari Driver Academy up until 2019, he was then promoted to Ferrari’s F1 simulator team, this line up for Ferrari is the same as last year.

    McLaren-

    The papaya team have Pato O’Ward in the car. Pato is not a stranger to McLaren as he races in IndyCar with the McLaren Arrows, and Zak Brown made a deal with the Mexican if he won in IndyCar he will get a chance to test the F1 car, so here we are! Pato is doing another year in Indy Car next year and it is said if he wins the championship there could be a possible move for him to F1 for McLaren!

    Alpine-

    Now, Alpine has the 2021 Formula Two Champion in their car for the Young Drivers Test. Oscar Piastri is apart of the Alpine Academy and has had an amazing career winning 3 titles back to back. However that didn’t secure Oscar a seat in F1 this year… Instead he is now Alpines test and reserve driver.

    Alpha Tauri-

    Another Formula 2 driver is amongst us! This time we have Liam Lawson who is driving for Alpha Tauri. Lawson is apart of the Red Bull Junior Team, he took part in both DTM and Formula 2 this year. DTM he finished 2nd, and F2 finished 9th overall, there is no news yet to see what he is doing next year but speculation is he will do another season in F2 which will be his second year if he did.

    Aston Martin-

    Aston Martin have chosen Nick Yelloly for the test, Nick is no stranger to the Silverstone based team as he has been their simulator driver for a few years now, he now gets to test the Aston Martin.

    Williams-

    Williams have decided to put their new Academy driver into the hot seat for the young drivers test. Logan Sargeant will be making an appearance for the British team, he has confirmed he will be racing in F2 next year with Carlin, whilst also being on stand-by helping out Williams when he can.

    Alfa Romeo-

    Alfa Romeo will be putting their new driver, Guanyu Zhou in for the YDT, as well as testing the prototype car on Wednesday. Zhou, finished 3rd in the Formula 2 Championship this year, and now he is graduating to Formula One.

    Haas-

    Robert Shwartzman will also be in the car for Haas. This wasn’t meant to be his first time in a Haas car, he was actually meant to run in the first practice session of the 2020 Abu Dhabi GP but did not appear on the entry list.

  • Gio out, Zhou in.

    It has been announced that Antonio Giovinazzi has not been retained for the 2022 season, instead Alfa Romeo have chosen Guanyu Zhou to complete their line up.

    Guanyu Zhou who is currently sitting in 2nd of the Formula 2 Championship will be the first full time Formula 1 Chinese Driver ever! Zhou, has been linked with being Alfa Romeo’s second driver for several months and was a main contender for the seat.

    Guanyu is apart of the Alpine Driver Academy along side title rival, Oscar Piastri. Zhou also has a role as a test driver for Alpine.

    “It is a pleasure to welcome Guanyu Zhou to Alfa Romeo Racing,” said Vasseur. “He is a very talented driver, as his results in F2 have shown, and we are looking forward to helping his talent flourish even more in Formula 1. We are proud of our line-up for 2022 and we are confident Zhou will form a very successful partnership with Valtteri. We are also looking forward to welcoming all the new Chinese fans who will join the team: Alfa Romeo Racing is a historical brand and one that embodies the spirit of Formula 1 and we will do our utmost to make the experience of our sport a great one in China.”

    Zhou added: “I dreamt from a young age of climbing as high as I can in a sport that I am passionate about and now the dream has come true. It is a privilege for me to start my Formula 1 career with an iconic team, a team that has introduced so much young talent into Formula 1 in the past. Now the dream is reality. I feel well prepared for the immense challenge of Formula 1, the pinnacle of my sport, alongside a proven, world-class talent in Valtteri Bottas. I wish to thank the Alfa Romeo Racing team for this opportunity. Next year the target will be to learn as much as possible and as quickly as possible. To be the first ever Chinese driver in Formula 1 is a breakthrough for Chinese motorsport history. I know a lot of hopes will be resting on me and, as ever, I will take this as motivation to become better and achieve more.”

    My Opinion-

    It’s obviously a shame to see someone leaving the sport, and I can imagine Giovinazzi probably feels the same. But to have someone new come in is exciting, with watching Zhou the past few years he is definitely improving more and more as a driver.

    It will be interesting to see how he does in the Alfa Romeo next year and especially along side Valtteri Bottas, with both of them new to the team it may take them both a while to get use to the car and team.

  • Herta to F1?

    There is currently lots of gossip going round about the last seat available for next year in the Alfa Romeo and it seems now that IndyCar driver, Colton Herta is now a possibility…

    This comes as Michael Andretti is getting ready to purchase Alfa Romeo, and the link between Andretti and Herta is that Herta drives for his IndyCar team.

    Andretti hasn’t kept it a secret that if the ‘right opportunity’ came along to buy a team he would and that team is supposedly Alfa Romeo. Herta’s main sponsor Gainbridge would join Andretti Autosport to “take over” the F1 team, which pushes Herta in line for the seat even more.

    Who is Colton Herta?

    Looking back in Colton’s career he has won the Pacific Formula F1600 in 2013, in 2015 he finished 3rd in the MSA Formula Championship. 2016 was a year for him as he joined Carlin for the Euroformula Open Championship and finished 3rd, he also competed in the Spain Formula 3 Championship and finished 2nd.

    LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA – SEPTEMBER 26: IndyCar driver Colton Herta driving the #26 car, wins the 2021 Acura Grand Prix Of Long Beach on September 26, 2021 in Long Beach, California. (Photo by Greg Doherty/Getty Images)

    In 2017 and 2018 he competed in Indy Lights and finished 3rd in 2017, 2018 he finished 2nd. Since 2018 he has been competing in IndyCar, with him finishing 3rd in 2020 and 5th this year. Colton is the youngest-ever winner in IndyCar history at the age of 18.

    Danica Patrick has said that now F1 is becoming more popular in the US, with having an American F1 team, and Netflix series Drive To Survive. There just missing an American driver. She thinks that having an driver like Herta would only make it more popular.

    Pato O’Ward also believes that Herta has ‘everything to be successful’ in Formula One. “He is a very talented, very fast individual, and I think he’ll have no problem. He’s going to be fighting up there, if he is given the right car. There’s no doubt in my mind. Not that it’s going to be a struggle, but everything has its path of learning, but given the right time, he’ll be just fine.” Pato said.

    The only thing stopping Colton Herta from having that f1 seat is his super licence, he needs at least 40 points and his currently got 32… Could this be a possible move for him in 2023? His only 21 so his still got a long way to go in his career…

  • Gio to stay or go?

    So the big talking point now, is who will fill the Alfa Romeo seat as its not been confirmed yet! Could Giovinazzi re-sign? Or will they have a rookie?

    Only time will tell… but looking into it theres so many ways they could go with this! As Alfa Romeo came out with something which i’m not sure if many people picked up on… When they signed Bottas I saw a comment by Frédéric Vasseur saying that the Finn will have the responsibility of leading Alfa Romeo forward as he will no longer “be in the shadow” of Lewis Hamilton.

    This tells me that Bottas has the number one role, which is fair play to him, he deserves to have a role like that due to his experience etc. BUT if Alfa Romeo was retaining Antonio Giovinazzi surely you would want someone who knows the car and team well to lead it? And as well wouldn’t Giovinazzi want be step up and bring the team forward, theres so many unanswered questions!

    Alfa Romeo Team Principal Fred Vasseur, along with his shareholders, is ultimately responsible for who will partner Bottas in 2022. But Vasseur was keeping tight-lipped on which drivers were in the running – although he did confirm that Chinese F2 racer Guanyu Zhou was “on the list”, while adding that reigning Formula E champion Nyck de Vries’ links to Mercedes complicated the Dutch driver’s case.

    So who could potentially fill the seat?

    Well first up would be their current driver Antonio Giovinazzi. Personally, I don’t see him staying and I would actually be pretty shocked if they announce him. Obviously his talented otherwise he wouldn’t of got the chance to be in F1 but I personally think that he hasn’t really grabbed this opportunity properly, I think he knows his at risk of potentially not racing in F1 next year and normally you would see drivers doing there everything to stay and yeah his got into Q3 in the last two races but that doesn’t really matter if your then not scoring points on the Sunday.

    The second option is Guanyu Zhou who is currently 2nd in the Formula Two championship and is also part of the Alpine Academy. Zhou seems like the favourite for the second seat at Alfa Romeo. Zhou has had a very good campaign in F2 this year, with 3 wins to his name, and 5 podiums.

    Next up in the long list is Championship leader Oscar Piastri, who is currently sat ahead of Zhou by 15 points… Oscar who is also with the Alpine Academy and managed by Mark Webber, is on fire… 2019 he won the Formula Renault Eurocup and then 2020 winning the F3 Championship with Prema. He is definitley F1 material and it doesn’t seem like he is in contention for the last seat which I think is a shame, but what will he do then? He can’t do another year in F2 as he has too many points on his super licence, so maybe the route of going down the test & reserve driver…

  • Bottas to Alfa Romeo

    After a lot of speculating, it has FINALLY been confirmed, that Valtteri Bottas will be leaving Mercedes and will be joining Alfa Romeo from 2022 onwards on a multi year deal.

    The Finn, has been partnered with Lewis Hamilton since 2017 and has played a key role in winning four constructors with the Brackley team. Bottas secured nine wins and 53 podiums in his time with Mercedes. However his future at the team has been speculated for quite some time.

    “A new chapter in my racing career is opening: I’m excited to join Alfa Romeo Racing ORLEN for 2022 and beyond for what is going to be a new challenge with an iconic manufacturer,” said Bottas. “Alfa Romeo is a brand that needs no introduction, they have written some great pages of Formula 1 history and it’s going to be an honour to represent this marque. The potential of the setup in Hinwil is clear and I am relishing the opportunity to help lead the team forward up the grid, especially with the new regulations in 2022 giving the team a chance to make a leap in performance”

    Vasseur added: “It is a pleasure to welcome Valtteri to the team and we are looking forward to our journey together. With him, we bring to Hinwil a strong team player with experience at the sharp end of the grid. “Valtteri has been an integral part of a team that rewrote the history books and he has four constructors’ world titles to his name: he is the right driver to help Alfa Romeo Racing ORLEN make a step forward towards the front of the grid.

    My Opinion-

    I think this is the best move for Bottas and Alfa Romeo. I actually believe this will be good for him, it’s a new challenge for him and he will want to help the team move forward and further up the grid. I look forward to seeing what he can do with the Swiss team!

    We now await on who will be his team-mate for 2022…

  • Kimi out of Dutch GP

    Kimi Raikkonen won’t take part in the rest of the Dutch Grand Prix this weekend due to having a positive covid-19 test!

    Alfa Romeo took to social media telling their followers that Kimi has tested positive with Covid and that “Kimi is displaying no symptoms and is in good spirits. He has immediately entered isolation in his hotel.’’

    However, Robert Kubica is back! As one of Alfa Romeos reserve drivers his stepped in place for Kimi. It will Kubica’s first Grand Prix start since 2019 and his first for the Alfa Romeo team.

    Raikkonen will need a negative test before being allowed into the paddock and it remains unclear if he will be able to race next weekends Italian Grand Prix at Monza

    Wishing Kimi a speedy recovery and hopefully see him back on track soon!❤️

  • Ilott signs as Alfa Romeo reserve

    Ferrari Academy driver Callum Ilott has signed a deal with Alfa Romeo to become the teams second reserve driver, he will also get chances to drive in FP1’s starting on Friday at Portugal. Callum also serves as Ferrari’s test and reserve driver too.

    The Briton is not a stranger to Alfa Romeo, he has tested with them in 2019 and then again in the 2020 Abu Dhabi Young Drivers Test. The 22 year old will share reserve duties with Robert Kubica, who will be unavailable at some grand prix this year due to his racing and testing commitments in other motorsport categories.

    Ilott finished runner-up in Formula Two last year, loosing out to Haas driver Mick Schumacher, the championship went down to the final race in Bahrain.

    I wonder if this is setting Ilott up for next year? As both Alfa Romeo drivers contracts end this year so they may want to get him in while there is a chance. I do believe that Callum does deserve a seat in F1, his very talented and he showed that in F2, now we have to wait patiently for him to get a full time seat in the sport…

  • Alfa Romeo car launch

    So the first team of F1 has set a date to launch their car for 2021, and that is Alfa Romeo. The Switzerland based team have announced that they will be launching their car on Monday 22nd February in Warsaw, Poland.

    The new Alfa Romeo, is set to be called C41 even though last years car was C39, it will be launched in Polands capital as the title partner ORLEN who has some of their key operations based in the city.

    It will be driven by Kimi Raikkonen and Antonio Giovinazzi, the duo have been paired up with each other for a third consecutive season.

    The C41 is set to be a challenger this year as they will be aiming to be more at the top of the grid, last year they only scored 8 points throughout the season, meaning they finished 8th overall in the constructors title, finishing before Haas and Williams.

    The C41 will hit the track for pre-season testing in Bahrain on the 12th-14th March, it was scheduled to be held in Barcelona from the 2nd to the 4th of March but it changed as the FIA figured it would be better for logistical reasons to be held at Bahrain where the first race is held two weeks after testing. One positive to take from this is that in Bahrain the weather is more reliable than what it would be in Barcelona.

    To save costs, testing has been lowered to 3 days, so only one and a half day for each driver, this will inconvenience some drivers who have moved to new teams including the rookies.

    Below is the link for what Alfa Romeo put on their Instagram this morning https://www.instagram.com/p/CKQtR6OIy7P/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

    One car launch date revealed, and only 9 more to go!!