After a couple of electrifying months, the driver market has finally calmed down and almost all teams have presented their lineups for the 2022 season. And what remains is this one seat at Alfa Romeo. Of course, it looked like Guanyu Zhou was going to rush down to grab it.
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In addition to being talented enough to drive in Formula 1, the Chinese driver is also bringing in nearly $ 25 million for a multi-year contract, according to Blick Sport.
You’d think a midfield team like Alfa Romeo would be drawn to such a lot of money. However, Alfa Romeo’s team boss Frederic Vasseur is not really impressed by Zhou’s demands.
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Race winner Guanyu Zhou from China and UNI-Virtuosi Racing celebrates on the podium during the Round 4: Silverstone feature race of the Formula 2 Championship at Silverstone in Northampton, England. (Photo by Joe Portlock – Formula 1 / Formula Motorsport Limited via Getty Images)
Early on, rumors suggested Zhou was calling for a 2-year contract with the team, but the number has just climbed to 3. This, of course, is quite inconvenient considering that it would call into question Theo Pouchaire’s F1 future. So what are the options now?
Well, interestingly, Alfa Romeo’s interest falls drastically on the soaring Australian driver Oscar Piastri. The 20-year-old was at an absolute high in Formula 2 this season.
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Does Oscar Piastri deserve the pending Alfa Romeo F1 seat?
Certainly! Oscar was exemplary, and many have already celebrated the Australian as the future world champion. The Prema Racing driver, led by former F1 driver Mark Webber, has shown tremendous resilience since Formula 3.
Oscar flew past Pouchaire in Formula 3 and secured the championship title on his very first attempt. And now that he has switched to F2, the Australian is already 36 points ahead of second-placed Zhou in just two race weekends.
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Hence, Alfa Romeo’s concerns about signing Zhou couldn’t have come at a perfect time, given the team’s backup with a driver like Oscar.
The race winner Oscar Piastri from Australia and Prema Racing celebrates on the podium during the Round 5: Monza feature race of the Formula 2 championship at the Autodromo di Monza in Monza, Italy. (Photo by Dan Istitene – Formula 1 / Formula Motorsport Limited via Getty Images)
Webber has concerns of his own; Oscar is sure to become F2 world champion this season. And if he does so, he loses the right to drive again in the F2. As a result, the 8-time Grand Prix winner is concerned that Oscar’s career at F2 could stall.
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Overall, the battle for an F1 seat is on again! But this time between two rookies. Who do you think deserves the seat more – Guanyu Zhou or Oscar Piastri?
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The post REPORT: Zhou & Alfa Romeo at War as Door Opens for Oscar Piastri to Make F1 Debut in 2022 first appeared on monter-une-startup.
