Jordan's Track Talk

Tag: Contracts

  • Ricciardo to return in 2024?

    Daniel Ricciardo is Red Bull’s third driver for the 2023 Formula 1 season; with the eight-time F1 race winner targeting a return to the grid next season; with Ricciardo and several team principals addressing his future during the Australian Grand Prix.

    Ricciardo was let go by McLaren at the end of last season after a hugely disappointing two year spell with the papaya team, and rather than taking a 2023 seat towards the back of the grid, he opted for a year out of sorts by re-joining Red Bull.

    The Australian driver, established himself as one of the sport’s top drivers by winning seven races for Red Bull between 2014-2018 but decided to leave for Renault before moving onto McLaren two years later.

    His popularity and commercial value alone could almost guarantee him a seat at some teams, but with Ricciardo holding out for a drive in a competitive car, it remains unclear whether an offer to tempt him back onto the grid will be forthcoming.

    Is a Red Bull return possible?

    Red Bull have had a dominant start to the season, with them winning five out of five races so far this season, and Max looking to take a third consecutive world championship, where as Checo looks to battle him on that hoping to take his first.

    There has also been speculation that in the event Verstappen or Perez were unavailable to drive in a race this season, Red Bull would promote Yuki Tsunoda from AlphaTauri rather than put Ricciardo in the season.

    While that could be related to contractual obligations rather than performance expectations, it feels like Ricciardo is a long way from driving a Red Bull in competitive circumstances.

    Where else could Ricciardo go?

    While the Australian driver appears to be adamant he will only return in a competitive car, the chances of a seat becoming available at Red Bull or one of their main challengers – Mercedes, Aston Martin and Ferrari appears highly unlikely.

    The most realistic scenario for a permanent Ricciardo return would appear to be a team convincing him that they can follow in the footsteps of Aston Martin and take a big step forward to contend at the front.

    Haas were reportedly linked with Ricciardo last season, but a deal failed to materialise before Guenther Steiner filled his second seat with Nico Hulkenberg. After Oscar Piastri was confirmed as Ricciardo’s McLaren replacement, there were talks over a possible return to Alpine, the team which Ricciardo had ditched two years earlier.

    They ended up signing Pierre Gasly from AlphaTauri, who is contracted until the end of the 2024 season, along with team-mate Esteban Ocon.

    MIAMI, FLORIDA – MAY 06: Daniel Ricciardo of Australia and Oracle Red Bull Racing looks on in the Paddock prior to final practice ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Miami at Miami International Autodrome on May 06, 2023 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)

  • Piastri confirmed for 2023

    Oscar Piastri will be racing for McLaren, alongside Lando Norris for 2023 on a multi-year deal, following a decision of the Contract Recognition Board (CRB), which ruled that the young Australian has a valid contract with the team.

    The CRB met on Monday in relation to a dispute between McLaren and Alpine over which of the two teams held a valid contract for Piastri, the reigning F2 champion and current Alpine reserve driver- with Alpine having claimed, following the departure of Fernando Alonso to Aston Martin August that Piastri would drive for them in 2023, only for Piastri to refute that claim.

    Ahead of Friday’s free practice 2 session for the Dutch Grand Prix, the FIA announced that the tribunal had “issued a unanimous decision is that the only contract to be recognised by the board is the contract between McLaren Racing and Mr Piastri dated 4th July 2022”

    The ruling also added that: “Mr Piastri is entitled to drive for McLaren Racing for the 2023 and 2024 seasons.”

    Just after the ruling, McLaren confirmed Piastri would indeed drive for the team in 2023 on a multi-year deal in place of Ricciardo who agreed terms to leave McLaren at the end of 2022.

    I’m extremely excited to be making my F1 debut with such a prestigious team as McLaren and I’m very grateful for the opportunity that’s been offered to me. The team has a long tradition of giving young talent a chance, and I’m looking forward to working hard alongside Lando to push the team towards the front of the grid. I’m focused on preparing for my F1 debut in 2023 and starting my F1 career in papaya.

    Oscar Piastri on his move to the British team.

    The entire team is delighted to welcome Oscar to McLaren for the 2023 F1 season. He has an impressive racing career to date, and we are sure that together with Lando, he will be able to help us move another step forward towards our ambitions. We still have an important job to do this season which the team remains focused on, before we will then ensure Oscar is integrated into the team as quickly as possible and ready for the challenges ahead. We look forward to preparing for an exciting 2023 season together.

    Andreas Siedl on the move.

    BWT Alpine F1 Team thanks the Contract Recognition Board (CRB) for convening on Monday and we acknowledge the decision they have made. We consider the matter closed on our side and will announce our full 2023 driver line-up in due course. Our immediate focus is the Dutch Grand Prix and securing points in our fight for fourth in the Constructors’ Championship.

    Alpines statement on the CRB’s decision.

  • Ricciardo to leave McLaren

    McLaren and Daniel Ricciardo have “mutually agreed” to terminate his contract one year early, meaning the eight-time race winner will depart at the end of 2022.

    The Australian joined McLaren in 2021, on a three year deal where he would race alongside Lando Norris – even though he secured the team’s first win since 2012 at Monza last year with Norris second – he has struggled to match his team mate’s impressive pace.

    McLaren say they will announce who will partner Norris in 2023 “in due course”. Ricciardo will do the same regarding his own future plans but suggested that he’s keen to stay in F1.

    Ricciardo is currently sat 12th in the drivers standings on 19 points, 57 adrift of Norris after 13 grand prix. His best finish of the year so far, was sixth in Australia.

    It’s been a privilege to be a part of the McLaren Racing family for the last two seasons but following several months of discussions with Zak [Brown, McLaren CEO] & Andreas [Seidl, Team Principal] we have decided to terminate my contract with the team early and agree to mutually part ways at the end of this season. I’ll be announcing my own future plans in due course but regardless of what this next chapter brings, I have no regrets and am proud of the effort and work I gave McLaren, especially the win in Monza, last season. I’ve enjoyed working with everyone at McLaren both trackside and back in Woking and will be giving my all on and off track as we enjoy the remainder of the season together. I’ve never been more motivated to compete and be a part of a sport that I love so much and look forward to what comes next.

    Daniel Ricciardo on leaving McLaren.

    I would like to thank Daniel for his dedication and contribution over the last two seasons so far. Despite the shared challenges, he has always turned up with a fighting spirit and positivity and helped the entire team to always keep pushing forward. We will never forget that memorable race win in Monza which was a great boost for the whole team. We still have an important battle in the constructors’ championship ahead of us for the remainder of the season and we look forward to battle this out with Daniel and Lando.

    Andreas Siedl

    Daniel has been a great addition to McLaren, and it’s been a pleasure working with him. I’d like to thank him for all of his efforts over the last two seasons both trackside and back at base. It’s no secret that we hoped we could achieve more together but seeing him stand on the top step of the podium as a McLaren driver was a highlight. We wish him well for the future and let’s go enjoy the rest of the season together

    Zak Brown on Ricciardo.

  • Gasly to remain with Alpha Tauri

    AlphaTauri have confirmed that Pierre Gasly will be remaining with the team for the 2023 season, ending speculation that the Frenchman might depart for new pastures at the end of the season.

    Following confirmation that Sergio Perez is staying on at Red Bull until 2024, and thus blocking Gasly’s route to the team he drove 12 races for in 2019. Gasly has always been open about wanting to have conversations with Red Bull’s motorsports advisor, Dr Helmut Marko regarding where his future is.

    Gasly made his F1 debut with the team, then known as Toro Rosso, at the 2017 Malaysian Grand Prix, and has subsequently taken three podiums with the squad including his win at the 2020 Italian Grand Prix.

    We are really pleased to confirm that Pierre stays with us in 2023. He is definitely in the group of the best and most competitive drivers in F1 and has proven his abilities during all the time he has spent with us. Undoubtedly, Pierre can play a major role in the team having a successful season next year and it will be down to us to provide him with a competitive car, so that he can continue to deliver excellent results.

    Franz Tost, Team Boss of AlphaTauri.

    “I have been with this team for five years now and I am proud of the journey we’ve been through together and the progress we have made. I’m happy to remain with my Scuderia AlphaTauri team. This year’s new regulations have created new challenges for us and being able to plan our development with the team for the next 18 months is a good working basis for the future.

    Pierre Gasly on signing another year.

    My Opinion-

    We all knew this was going to happen, especially because Pierre is still contracted to Red Bull until the end of 2023, and in all honesty they (Red Bull) wouldn’t let him go to another team until that time is up.

  • Piastri closing in on deal for 2023

    Oscar Piastri is closing on a deal to drive for Williams in Formula 1 next season, with his debut potentially confirmed by the end of the month

    The Alpine test and reserve driver has been the talk of the paddock as he is one of F1’s most promising young drivers, and wont a hat-trick of titles across the Formula Renault Eurocup, Formula 3 and Formula 2 from 2019 to 2021.

    But, he missed out on an instant F1 graduation for 2022, as Alpine had no room and they could not find or agree a deal for Piastri to go on loan elsewhere. Piastri has spent 2022 so far testing last year’s Alpine alongside his role as the team’s reserve driver.

    The Aussie, is still under contract with Alpine for next year but is thought to have a release clause of some kind if he does not have a deal agreed for him to race in F1 by the end of June. Alpine is still not able to put Piastri in its own team as Esteban Ocon is contracted to the end of 2024, and two time world champion Fernando Alonso is all but confirmed for 2023.

    Alpine has made it clear that in the circumstances it is happy to let Piastri join another team but on a short term basis as they are not keen to lose such a highly rated driver permanently. Multiple sources have indicated the solution looks increasingly likely to be loaning Piastri to Williams.

    It’s to be rumoured, that Piastri’s move will be announced at the British Grand Prix, as that even begins at the end of June – the aforementioned contractual deadline for Alpine to secure Piastri’s future and the race at which Alpine’s team principal, Otmar Szafnauer hoped to be able to confirm its driver plans.

    Williams is clearly amenable to such an arrangement as for the 2022 season, the British team struck a similar deal with Red Bull to sign Alex Albon, whom Piastri is likely to partner when he makes his F1 debut. Albon has been extremely impressive in 2022, whilst his team-mate Nicholas Latifi has struggled, lacking pace and also suffering some expensive crashes.

    Latifi’s position at Williams has so far been guaranteed by the funding he brings and his father was also integral in helping the team manage some debts early in pandemic, that helped Latifi extend his stay till 2022, but its is not expected to last beyond a third season.

    But rumours continued to fly around at the Azerbaijan GP, that Piastri could replace Latifi from this year’s British GP onwards. Latifi has denied these claims and denied he would leave the team mid season and expects to stay until the end of the year…

  • Ricciardo’s future in doubt?

    Ricciardo’s future in doubt?

    Rumours are growing every race weekend at the moment, as there is uncertainty whether Daniel Ricciardo will be keeping his seat at McLaren…

    Ricciardo has accepted that his time at the Papaya team has not delivered the results he or his bosses would have liked, but he is committed for the full three years of his contract…

    Daniel has only scored points on two occasions this year, his home race in Australia, and the sprint race in Imola… His sat on 11 points in 11th, 4 places away from his teammate and 37 points.

    Zak Brown, spoke ahead of a trip to visit the Indianapolis 500, suggested that McLaren’s deal with Ricciardo was not completely watertight. He (Zak) also suggested that there were break clauses that could open the door for a parting of ways if things did not improve.

    I don’t want to get into the contract, but there are mechanisms in which we’re committed to each other, and mechanisms in which we’re not. I spoke with Daniel about it. We’re not getting the results that we both hoped for, but we’re both going to continue to push. I think he showed in Monza [last year] he can win races. We also need to develop our race car; it’s not capable of winning races. But we’d like to see him further up the grid.

    Zak Brown, on whether there was a get out clause for driver or team.

    But after last weekend in Monaco, there’s more rumours coming about. The statements from the McLaren team are something to take into consideration also but at the moment Danny Ric’s seat isn’t safe whether that’s this year or next…

    Who could possibly take his seat?

    I’ve seen a few possibilities which could potentially take his seat, they are- Colton Herta, Pierre Gasly and Oscar Piastri (if he didn’t get the Alpine seat).

  • Perez stays till 2024!

    Perez stays till 2024!

    Just after claiming his first Monaco victory, Sergio Perez is now celebrating more this week as Red Bull retain the Mexican for another two years!

    Perez, joined Red Bull Racing last season and took one victory in Azerbaijan and four more podiums to finish fourth in the drivers championship.

    Already this season, he has 3 second place finishes and his victory in Monaco last weekend, he currently sits in third in the drivers and is 15 points adrift of leader and teammate Max Verstappen.

    Since joining Oracle Red Bull Racing, Checo has done a fantastic job. Time and again he has proved himself to not only be a magnificent team player but as his level of comfort has grown he has become a real force to be reckoned with at the sharp end of the grid. This year he has taken another step and the gap to World Champion Max has closed significantly, evidenced by his superb pole position in Jeddah earlier this year and by his wonderful win in Monaco just last weekend. For us, holding onto his pace, race craft and experience was a no-brainer and we are delighted that Checo will continue to race for the team until 2024. In partnership with Max we believe we have a driver pairing that can bring us the biggest prizes in F1.

    Christian Horner on Sergio Perez.

    For me, this has been an incredible week, winning the Monaco Grand Prix is a dream for any driver and then to follow that with announcing I will continue with the Team until 2024 just makes me extremely happy. I am so proud to be a member of this Team and I feel completely at home here now. We are working very well together and my relationship with Max, on and off the track, is definitely helping drive us forward even more. We have built tremendous momentum as a Team and this season is showing that, I am excited to see where that can take us all in the future.

    Perez on his new contract.

    My Opinion-

    Ayyy!! We love to see it! I think we all knew this was coming after Sunday as Perez said ‘I think I signed to early’ after him winning Monaco! But it’s a good decision for him and the team, his helped the team massively last year and this year.

  • Magnussen Returns!!

    Magnussen Returns!!

    Kevin Magnussen has signed a multi-year deal to make a return to Formula 1 with the American team in 2022, following the teams decision to part ways with Nikita Mazepin.

    Having driven in F1 for McLaren in 2014 to 15 and Renault in 2016, the Danish driver raced for Haas from 2017 until 2020. Magnussen then moved Stateside where he took part in sportscars and IndyCar and was set to join Peugeot’s World Endurance Championship team this year.

    But, the 29 year old will partner Mick Schumacher in which will be the German’s second year in the sport.

    Team Principal Guenther Steiner said: “I’m delighted to welcome Kevin Magnussen back to Haas F1 Team. When looking for a driver who could bring value to the team, not to mention a wealth of Formula 1 experience, Kevin was a straightforward decision for us. Kevin’s immediate availability means we can tap into him as a resource for pre-season testing alongside both Mick Schumacher and Pietro Fittipaldi. Pietro’s going to be first in this week with half a day’s running at the test on Thursday – that’s a great opportunity for him, with Mick and Kevin doing the rest ahead of the Bahrain Grand Prix. Kevin was a key component in our previous successes – not least when we both scored our best finishes in Formula 1 back in 2018. He continued to show last year that he’s an elite race car driver adding wins and podiums to his resume. As a veteran presence in both the garage and the engineering room, he’ll provide a solid benchmark for us with the on-going development of the VF-22. We’re all looking forward to welcoming Kevin back this week in Bahrain.”

    Magnussen added: “I was obviously very surprised but equally very excited to receive the call from Haas F1 Team. I was looking in a different direction regarding my commitments for 2022 but the opportunity to return to compete in Formula 1, and with a team I know extremely well, was simply too appealing. I really have to say thank you to both Peugeot and Chip Ganassi Racing for releasing me promptly – both are great organizations. Naturally, I also want to thank Gene Haas and Guenther Steiner for the chance to resume my Formula 1 career – I know just how competitive they both are and how keen they are to return to competing week in and week out. We’ve enjoyed a solid relationship and our positive association remained even when I left at the end of 2020. I’ve been briefed as much as possible on the development of the VF-22 and the potential in the package. There’s work to do but I’m excited to be a part of it. I can’t wait to get back behind the wheel of a Formula 1 car in Bahrain.”

    My Opinion-

    YESS! I’m very happy about this, I think this was the best pick out of the most experienced in F1 and with him having history with the team it seems the perfect fit. Even more so that he is on a multi year deal, he can help the team develop the car along with Mick.

  • 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

  • Mazepin will not race for Haas

    The Haas Formula One team, has announced today that Nikita Mazepin’s contract and their title partnership Uralkali contract have both been terminated with immediate effect.

    The Russian’s future had been in doubt after his father Dmitry’s sponsor branding through Uralkali was removed from the team’s car at Barcelona testing. Team principal Guenther Steiner then admitted that Mazepin’s future with the team was something that needed to be addressed.

    Since then the American team, have been under immense pressure to act on Mazepin’s future, following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. With sport all around the world cutting ties with the country.

    The team released an statement saying: “Haas F1 Team has elected to terminate, with immediate effect, the title partnership of Uralkali, and the driver contract of Nikita Mazepin. As with the rest of the Formula 1 community, the team is shocked and saddened by the invasion of Ukraine and wishes for a swift and peaceful end to the conflict.”

    At this moment in time, Haas have not announced who will replace him but it is said to be announced early next week, before the Official Pre-Season Test in Bahrain.

    Some of the drivers who could take the spot is: Pietro Fittipaldi, he is the front runner as he currently is the team’s test and reserve driver. Another is Antonio Giovinazzi, obviously he is tied with being Ferrari’s reserve but Haas and Ferrari have a very close relationship so he may get the spot. Some outsider candidates are: Kevin Magnussen and Nico Hulkenberg.

  • Verstappen signs until 2028

    Verstappen signs until 2028

    World champion, Max Verstappen has signed a bumper five year contract extension with Red Bull, which keeps him with the team until at least the end of 2028.

    The Dutchman took the victory on the final lap of Abu Dhabi in which he clinched his maiden world championship, after a spectacular season fight with Lewis Hamilton.

    Red Bull, now enter a new era this year, as the team departed from engine partner, Honda and have taken over the intellectual property for the engine and set up their own division on their campus in Milton Keynes.

    Verstappen’s previous deal ran until the end of next season (2023), but both Max & Red Bull were keen to extend a successful partnership.

    The new contract is said to be worth in the region of €40-50m (£33.3 – 41.7m) a year, which would make it among the most lucrative in the history of F1.

    Verstappen said: “I really enjoy being part of Red Bull Racing, so choosing to stay to the 2028 season was an easy decision. I love this team and last year was simply incredible. Our goal since we came together in 2016 was to win the championship and we have done that, so now it’s about keeping the number one on the car long-term.”

    Red Bull boss Christian Horner added: “To have Max signed with Red Bull through to the end of ‘28 is a real statement of intent. Our immediate focus is on retaining Max’s world championship title, but this deal also shows he is part of the team’s long-term planning. With the Red Bull Powertrains division working towards the new engine regulations for 2026 we wanted to make sure we had the best driver on the grid secured for that car.”

    My Opinion-

    After, Max winning the championship last year we all knew a new contract would happen and to add 5 years on to his exisiting contract shows how much both Max & Red Bull have faith and trust in each other.

    I cannot see Max going to another team, as all his known is Red Bull, having been brought up by the junior team in his career, to then move to Toro Rosso and then RB, they seem like the perfect fit.

  • 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.

  • Haas retain both drivers

    It has officially been announced that Haas has retained both Nikita Mazepin and Mick Schumacher for the 2022 season!

    Both drivers joined the team last year for the 2021 season, with it being their rookie year.

    Mick won the 2020 F2 Championship with Prema and he is also part of the Ferrari Driver Academy. His first year in F1 has been consistent, with his highest finish being in 12th and that was at the Hungarian GP. We’ve seen some lovely battles from Mick on track this season, and I can’t wait to see what else he does!

    Mazepin who finished 5th in the 2020 F2 Championship, hasn’t been as consistent as his team-mate. His highest finish is 14th at Azerbaijan, it always looks like he struggles with the car a lot more than Mick does. So hopefully this gives him the experience for future years in his racing career…

    My Opinion-

    I think this is a good move from Haas, I didn’t see any new drivers coming in and taking one of the rookies spots at Hass. Obviously there was speculation that Mick could potentially move to Alfa Romeo, but obviously that was speculation.

    This now gives Haas a solid line up for 2022, where they can learn all about the new regulations with team-mates who know the team and the 2021 car too.

  • 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…

  • AM confirm ’22 line up

    Aston Martin have confirmed their line up for the ’22 season and it is unchanged, so both Lance Stroll and Sebastian Vettel will be in the racing green next year!

    Aston Martin came back to F1 this year, after Lawrence Stroll was fighting for it to make its return to the sport and he succeeded.

    Both Stroll and Vettel have done well this year, even more so Seb as its a new car and team for him to adapt too, so all eyes were on him to see how he would perform and he has had a bit of an up/down season, first four races he didn’t score any points then he went on to have two podiums but got disqualified so effectively got one took away from him.

    Lance Stroll said: “Next season I will be embarking on my sixth year in Formula One, alongside my team-mate Sebastian. We started this Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One™ Team campaign together and I greatly look forward to continuing the journey with him next year. We have not achieved what we set out to do this year, but that has only amplified our hunger and drive for success next season.”

    Sebastian Vettel said: “I am really looking forward to racing the new generation of Formula One cars. Their look is very different and the new technical regulations should give us cars that can race much more closely than recently. More exciting racing will be great for the drivers as well as for the fans.”

    My Opinion-

    I believe this is the right call, I didn’t see Stroll going anywhere because of his dad owning the team… And I thought it would be silly to get rid of Vettel as he has performed very well in the car and no doubt is going to give some pointers for helping with the 2022 car.

  • Alex Albon is back…

    The seats keep on going… I’m happy to say that Alex Albon is joining Williams Racing for 2022!

    This comes as George Russell announced he was driving for Mercedes next year, so it was only a matter of time till Williams announced their line up.

    Alex joint F1 in 2019 and made his debut with Toro Rosso, he then replaced Pierre Gasly at Red Bull Racing halfway through the season and then stayed at Red Bull for the 2020 season too. However it was over too quickly, as Red Bull announced they won’t retain him for the 2021 season and instead go for Sergio Perez. It then got announced the other week Perez will be staying at RB for the 22 season aswell.

    Alex got put into the test & reserve driver role for this year, whilst also competing in DTM.

    A Red Bull spokesperson told F1.com: “We have released Alex to become a Williams Racing driver in 2022 but retain a relationship with him that includes future options.”

    Albon said: “I am really excited and looking forward to returning to a Formula 1 race seat in 2022. When you take a year out of F1 it’s never certain you will make a return so I’m extremely thankful to Red Bull and Williams for believing in me and helping me on my journey back to the grid. It’s also been great to see all the progress Williams have been making as a team this year and I look forward to helping them continue that journey in 2022.”

    Nicholas Latifi’s contract was also up this year and it got announced at the same time as Alex’s that they will be team-mates for the 22 season. The pair use to be team-mates back in F2 where they drover for DAMs.

    Latifi said: “I’m excited to be continuing with Williams for another year; partly because of F1’s new technical regulations, but also because the team is moving in a more competitive direction with new owners, management and people on the technical side.

    My Opinion-

    I think this is great! I didn’t see Williams having two new drivers to the team, so I can understand why they wanted to retain Nicholas. For Alex its amazing to see him back, I felt like he wasn’t given a proper opportunity to show his talent before but now he is in a Williams and with a team who want to work their way back up the grid and Alex seems like the perfect driver to help them with that.

  • Russell to Mercedes 2022

    And finally, the announcement we have all been waiting for! George Russell has officially signed a contract with Mercedes and will be Lewis Hamiltons team-mate for the 2022 season.

    Russell has been a Mercedes junior since early 2017 but has been on loan to Williams Racing for the past three years when he got promoted to F1 in 2019.

    The Brit has had a very good racing career, with him winning GP3 in 2017, the Formula Two championship in 2018. Then since moving to F1 its been tough as we’ve all seen however, things are starting to change. Last year at the Sakhir Grand Prix we saw George step in for Lewis Hamilton due to Covid and well, let me tell you it showed how talented George is. He topped the charts in FP1 and FP2, he then qualified P2 in a car which didn’t fit him and didn’t have much time to prepare at all. He was set to get on the podium this race but due to a mix up in tyres and a puncture he was only able to grab a few points but they were his first in F1!

    Now fast forward to this year and all I can say on George’s performance is wow! His getting the Williams car into Q2 and Q3 and pulling everything out of it! He claimed his first points for him in the Williams in Hungary which everyone was very happy about. And now onto rainy Spa, he qualified P2, he beat two Mercedes (one of is his new team-mate) and a Red Bull. Due to the circumstances at Spa the race got cancelled after over 3 hours of delaying it, which meant George got half points and got on the podium for the first time in his F1 career.

    “It’s a special day for me personally and professionally, but also a day of mixed emotions,” said Russell. “I’m excited and humbled to be joining Mercedes next year, which is a huge career step, but it also means I’ll be saying goodbye to my team mates and friends at Williams. It has been an honour working alongside every member of the team, and an honour to represent the Williams name in F1. “Looking ahead to next season, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t absolutely buzzing. It’s a huge opportunity and one I want to grab with both hands. But I’m under no illusions as to the scale of the challenge; it’s going to be a steep learning curve.”

    “We are very happy to confirm that George will have the opportunity to take the next step in his career and join Mercedes,” said Wolff. “He has been a winner in every racing category – and the past three seasons with Williams have given us a taste of what the future could hold for him in F1.” “Now, it is our challenge together to help him continue learning within our environment and alongside Lewis, the greatest F1 driver of all time. I am confident that as their relationship grows, they will form a strong team and deliver for Mercedes on and off the track in the years ahead.”

    My Opinion-

    I think this is fully deserved, his shown what he can do and it’s time for him to take that next step and be fighting for podiums/wins. I also think that Russell and Hamilton would actually work really well as team-mates, I think George would push Lewis and be consistent in scoring points together.

  • Gasly & Tsunoda retained by AlphaTauri

    Well it seems like a week of driver announcements this week! Yuki Tsunoda and Pierre Gasly have been retained by AlphaTauri for 2022.

    Pierre has been with AlphaTauri since being demoted by Red Bull back in 2019 and it saw him get his first win in F1 with AT. His constantly dragging everything out of the car to perform well and it seems to be paying off, and his hoping for some podium finishes this year! His currently sat in 8th in the drivers championship.

    Yuki is new to AlphaTauri, with it being his rookie season in F1, he hasn’t done too bad… He scored points in his first race, which put peoples expectations high but as he is only a rookie you can’t expect him to finish in the points consistently. You can expect mistakes in the first year as they are still learning the car and where the limits are. Yuki is currently sat in 13th in the drivers championship.

    I think for AlphaTauri next year, they will be looking to get more up the front, with both drivers being consistent in the points they would want to be battling for P3, P4 in the championship alongside McLaren and Ferrari

    Looking into the new aerodynamic era of Formula 1, Gasly assessed “there are great things to achieve”. “I’m very excited to see what we can accomplish in the new era of F1 and to keep working with the team as best as I can to bring us forward in the team standings. This year has been very successful so far and I really believe we can work well together to do even better in 2022.”

    “I’m really excited to be staying with Scuderia AlphaTauri for a second season,” said Tsunoda. “It’s an incredible opportunity and I’m so thankful to the team for letting me continue to grow my experience in Formula 1 with them.”

    My Opinion-

    I think this is a good move, both drivers get on well on and off the track. I didn’t see them changing it to be honest, this line-up provides stability into the new season and I think thats good especially with the changes coming in next season.

    I do think Pierre should be in a top car, he deserves to show what his capable off and I feel like his shown what he can do in an AlphaTauri, put him in an Ferrari and he will do brilliant things. However that won’t happen as he is still under contract with Red Bull as a junior driver until 2023, so if he wants to break out of it then the 2023 season is where it happens.

  • 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…

  • Perez retained for 2022

    The seats for 2022 are starting to fill up quick, as Red Bull announced on Thursday 26th that they will keep Sergio Perez for the 2022 season.

    Red Bull have been looking for a driver who will keep up with Max Verstappen and bring the fight to Lewis and Mercedes, they had been unsuccessful until this season…

    Perez has made a strong start for his first season with the team, he took four top five finishes in the first five races and then clenched his first win with the team in his sixth in Baku. Perez is currently sitting in 5th in the driver standings with 104 points, which is just four points away from Bottas.

    “Checo is a highly respected Team member and his experience and race-craft are invaluable as we fight for the Constructors’ Championship,” said Red Bull boss Christian Horner. “His integration into the wider Team has been seamless and we have been impressed by his performances during the first half of the season which demonstrate what he’s capable of in our car.”

    What does it mean for Gasly & Albon?

    It looks like Gasly will be leading Alpha Tauri forwards, his had a very good season so far having grabbed points in all but three races this year, the team intend to secure fifth place in the constructors. AlphaTauri are yet to confirm their driver plans for the 2022 season but they are very much likely to keep it the same as the 2021 season.

    Now onto Albon, after not getting his seat renewed this season he went into the reserve driver role and to drive in DTM. Red Bull are impressed with the job Alex has been doing as the reserve, with clocking up miles in the simulator which has made Red Bull stronger this year, it seems they would want to keep him on.

    However, they realise he wants to race and they have said they are supportive of a move to a different team if he can make one work. There are two opportunities either at Williams or Alfa Romeo, both outside the Red Bull family.

    My Opinion-

    I think its a good move that Perez is staying for another year he seems to have done a lot of work within the team to help the championship fight. What shocked me the most, was the fact they announced it quite early, I thought they would of waited till the end of the season.

    It’s obviously a shame for Gasly and Albon as everyone wants to be in the best car, fighting for wins and podiums. But if they keep working on what their doing and being consistent I can see them both being back in a top car in the future!

  • Alonso extends contract with Alpine

    It has been confirmed that two-time world champ, Fernando Alonso will be staying with Alpine for the 2022 season, it is the only team he had discussions with for next year.

    Alonso came back into F1 this year after a two year break and joint Alpine where he one his two world titles. His contract for this year was just a one plus one (He had an option to extend for another year, which he now has).

    The Spaniard, hasn’t had the best season so far he only managed to score five points in the first 5 races but things are starting to slowly look better for him, he scored 8 points in Baku, 6 in Silverstone and 12 in Hungary whilst also defending off Lewis Hamilton to secure his team-mate Esteban Ocon his first win in F1. It will be interesting to see how he does the second half of the season…

    What would be next for him?

    If he chose not to stay, it is more than likely he would aim for Indy 500 and go for the triple crown which includes winning the Le Mans 24 Hours, F1 World Championship and the Indianapolis 500.

    My Opinion-

    I’m not surprised by this at all, I think its the right decision for both Alonso and Alpine especially with the regulation changes coming in next year, it will be helpful to have two drivers who know the team well.

  • Available seats 2022

    Back in April, I done a blog post regarding the drivers market, this post is about available seats as we’ve had a couple of signings already and there is quite a lot of speculation for certain seats left for the 2022 season!

    Mercedes- Now we all know Lewis has re-signed! But the focus is now onto who will join the 7 time world champ as his teammate? Will it be Bottas or Russell? Well Mercedes have said they will make a decision over the summer break… So we really don’t have long to wait! I personally want George in that seat, I think his had his time at Williams now and his proved himself time and time again and this is the next step for him!

    Red Bull- Max is contracted for Red Bull till 2023 so no changes there… However, the second seat this is a difficult one just like last year. Helmet Marko has came forward and said their not entirely happy with Sergio Perez… So if he improves in the second half of the season then he will more than likely get the seat but if he doesn’t, Red Bull could look at possibly getting Pierre Gasly back or maybe Alex Albon? Or possibly junior drivers, Liam Lawson or Juri Vips. I feel like this second seat won’t be decided until the end of the season, just like last year…

    AlphaTauri- Both drivers contract are up this year, there is a part of me which thinks that maybe they won’t change it but part of me is thinking that Pierre may get a chance at Red Bull which means Alpha Tauri have a spot to fill… I 100% think Yuki will re-sign, I think it’d be silly to let him go but if Pierre does leave then who are the options? Well, possibly Juri Vips or Liam Lawson.

    Alfa Romeo- Again, both drivers contract are up this year, however there are many options for Alfa Romeo! The first one would be keep to both drivers but I don’t think they will, I think Kimi will leave at the end of the season. So who could fill the seat? First up is Ferrari Academy driver and Reserve driver for Alfa Romeo Callum Illot, that would seem the most sensible option. But there is a list! Maybe Bottas if he doesn’t get a Mercedes seat? Shwartzman who is another Ferrari Academy driver and currently competing in F2. We also have Mick Schumacher whose currently at Haas. Personally I think they will sign Antonio Giovannazi and Callum Illot…

    Haas- Mazepin has a contract sorted for 2022 as he signed a multi year contract in 2020 for the 2021 season onwards. To be honest I don’t see Mick moving teams yet so I think Haas will keep their line up for 2022.

    Williams- Both driver contracts are up this year, and there’s lots of speculation on who gets the seats. First up I think Williams will re-sign Latfi, his only in his second season of F1 so his still got lots too prove. But this second seat is like hot cakes! It won’t be available for long… if George does leave to go to Mercedes, there is a queue of people waiting to jump into the seat. The most obvious one is Valtteri Bottas, it would mean going back to an old team and taking a step down into a less competitive car but the team are improving unlike a few years ago. Nico Hulkenberg is an option, he use to drive for the team back in 2010 and is currently Aston Martins reserve this year, this could be a very good option for the team. Williams also have the option of Daniil Kyvat, he no longer has any Red Bill ties and is currently a reserve for Alpine. Personally I know who I want in the Williams seat and he is quite a popular choice and that would be Nyck de Vries, F2 champion in 2019 and Formula E champion 2020-2021. He is also one of the reserve drivers for Mercedes and got the opportunity to be in the Young Drivers test last year. I think this would be the best option for Williams in my opinion!

    Ferrari, McLaren, Alpine, Aston Martin all have pretty set driver line ups for the next season so I don’t see any changes happening there!

  • Russell VS Bottas

    The big talk in contracts recently is who will be joining Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes next year? Mercedes wanted to sort out Lewis’ contract first as both the team and himself wanted it to be done as quickly as possible, unlike last year. The main two drivers for contention are current Williams driver and Mercedes junior, George Russell and the other is current Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas.

    Russell seems to be going from strength to strength every race and season, last year he got called up last minute to replace Lewis at the Sakhir Grand Prix and I think we all saw how well he did in a car he doesn’t drive, didn’t actually fit into and had no time to prepare! We’re now currently seeing him put the Williams in and around the top 10 in Quali, seeing him fight for points and finish near the top 10. George has been at Williams for three years now after being loaned out to them from Mercedes, and his helped the British team develop so much and you can see how they have improved! Russell has also got approval of two time world champion Fernando Alonso, with George getting called “A future world champ”.

    Where as Bottas has been at Mercedes now since 2017, and his put in some good performances since his been with the team and his played a good part in the Constructors, but now this season it’s like his not there much within the team. He hasn’t had the best start to the season, his had no wins, two DNF and at one of the races he didn’t even finish in the points. Is it just simple bad luck? Or does he feel the pressure? Who knows!

    Toto Wolff, Mercedes Team Principal say “We value them both for their strengths and for what they can contribute to the team” on both George Russell and Valtteri Bottas.

    My Opinion-

    I do actually reckon a deal has been done but there holding off on announcing, I did think they would do a double announcement on the weekend of Silverstone for both Hamilton and Russell.

    However I want George in that Mercedes seat! I think he deserves it, his worked very hard in the past 3 years and I think that’s clear for everyone to see. Mercedes need to think about the future here and where they want to be after Lewis leaves…

    The thing what confuses me about Valtteri is the fact he says his fighting for championships and his said it this year as well, when in reality he isn’t… Yeah he has landed on the podium a few times this year but so has other drivers…

    The decision over the second seat will be made over the summer break and it seems that Toto Wolff has got a hard decision to make!

  • Hamilton Stays till 2023

    It’s has been announced today that Lewis Hamilton will be staying in Formula One until 2023!

    We all knew that Lewis and Mercedes were talking about contracts early this year compared to last year as they wanted to get it out the way and focus on the year ahead!

    And they have just done that… The Brit who is currently on a one year deal has just signed for two years meaning he will stay till at least 2023, depending on whether he signs another contract or not.

    Hamilton and Mercedes are currently trying to beat Max Verstappen and Red Bull to the drivers and constructors championship this year as Red Bull close the gap down unlike previous years!

    “It is hard to believe it’s been nearly nine years working with this incredible team and I’m excited we’re going to continue our partnership for two more years,” said Hamilton.

    It is still unclear who will partner with Hamilton at Mercedes but the main two who are up for contention are current Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas and Mercedes junior and current Williams driver George Russell.

    My Opinion-

    I’m very happy about this! Lewis is partly the reason I got into this sport and I’ve watched him since his very first season in 2007! It’s honestly so nice to see how much he has grown within the sport and all what he is doing with BLM and the diversity within F1.

    I think it’s the right move from Mercedes too as the regulations change next year and having someone with so much experience will help with the new car!

  • Lando signs multi year deal

    So today we had the first contract announcement of the season… and that was Lando Norris resigning for McLaren with a fresh multi year deal🤩

    His been with the McLaren family since 2017 and scored his first podium with them last year- now his onto his second podium and now sitting fourth in the drivers standing whilst also being on a run of nine successive points finishes.

    His new deal now matches his team mates Daniel Ricciardo’s meaning they will both be with the team until at least the end of 2023.

    This is honestly amazing news! I think Lando has definitely got a bright future ahead of him and it will be interesting to see what him and the McLaren team can do together! Also what brilliant timing for the announcement ahead of the Monaco Grand Prix this weekend where they are showing off their new livery! I actually didn’t expect a contract announcement so soon but somebody has to get the ball rolling!

    See below to see what Lando put on his social media for the announcement🙌🏻