While several Formula 1 driver deals have been confirmed for 2022, some racing seats still have to be officially occupied. This is how the grid is designed for the next year.
Mercedes
Mercedes is probably the team with the most attention in its driver line-up. Rumors about the reputation of young Mercedes driver George Russell have been around for years, although Valtteri Bottas has so far managed to fend them off with one-year contracts. Russell’s outstanding performance as a replacement for Hamilton at the 2020 Sakhir Grand Prix earned him further praise and gave him a tip as a future Mercedes driver. Could 2022 be Russell’s year as Russell continues to improve and Bottas continues to be overtaken by teammate Lewis Hamilton?
Confirmed 2022 Drivers:
- Driver 1: Lewis Hamilton – Hamilton will stay with Mercedes for at least two more years after extending his contract for 2022 and 2023.
- Driver 2: Not yet confirmed
Potential drivers
- Valtteri Bottas: The Finn’s current contract ends this year after five seasons with the team. In contrast to Hamilton, Bottas had mostly one-year contracts for the Silver Arrows, with the last three contracts being all one-year contracts.
- George Russell: Russell’s three-year deal with Williams ends this season and it is widely advised that he will be nominated for Mercedes in the coming weeks. He is currently in the Mercedes junior program and has shown great potential in the slower Williams and scored his first points for the team at the 2021 Hungarian Grand Prix.
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George Russell, Mercedes-AMG F1 and Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes-AMG F1
Photo by: Steve Etherington / Motorsport Images
Red Bull
Red Bull is in a similar situation to Mercedes: They have the unenviable task of finding a teammate who suits a queer talent. While Verstappen is tied to the team for at least two more seasons, the infamous second seat at Red Bull is more open. Current driver Sergio Perez seems like the safest bet as the flow of Red Bull junior drivers runs dry, but his current contract will expire at the end of the season.
Confirmed 2022 Drivers:
- Driver 1: Max Verstappen – Verstappen’s current Red Bull contract, which was agreed in January 2020, runs in the 2022 and 2023 seasons.
- Driver 2: Not yet confirmed
Potential drivers
- Sergio Perez: The Mexican currently has a one-year contract but the consensus is that he has done enough to keep the drive going and team principal Christian Horner has hinted that the contract is likely to be renewed. There are also commercial considerations as the cars carry Mexican support.
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McLaren
McLaren already has drivers in both seats, with Lando Norris and Daniel Ricciardo likely to stay through at least 2023. This consistency in the rider line-up could help continue the improvements the team has made over the past few years.
Confirmed 2022 Drivers:
- Driver 1: Lando Norris – In May, Norris signed a “multi-year” contract extension that will take him beyond the next season.
- Driver 2: Daniel Ricciardo – The Australian had a tough first year at McLaren, but his first contract runs until the end of the 2023 season.
Daniel Ricciardo, McLaren MCL35M, Lando Norris, McLaren MCL35M
Photo by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images
Aston Martin
Aston Martin has also confirmed its driver line-up, with both Sebastian Vettel and Lance Stroll leading the Silverstone-based team.
Confirmed 2022 Drivers:
- Driver 1: Sebastian Vettel – the contract of the former world champion with Aston Martin expires in the coming season, and there is talk of an extension.
- Driver 2: Lance Stroll – Stroll’s place at Aston Martin, owned by his father Lawrence, is assured for the foreseeable future.
alpine
Alpine has billed both seats by the end of 2022, while the French team has tied Esteban Ocon until the end of the 2024 season. Fernando Alonso’s hiring was partly related to the new regulations postponed from 2021 to 2022 after the pandemic.
Confirmed 2022 Drivers:
- Driver 1: Fernando Alonso – the Spaniard’s original deal, announced in July 2020, had options. However, both sides are satisfied and he will stay for a second year in 2022.
- Driver 2: Esteban Ocon – Alpine announced in June that Ocon would stay with the team until at least 2024.
Fernando Alonso, Alpine F1, celebrates with Esteban Ocon, Alpine F1, 1st place, in Parc Ferme
Photo by: Glenn Dunbar / Motorsport Images
Ferrari
Ferrari also has a slew of drivers for the 2022 season, despite its burgeoning young driver program, including current F1 drivers Antonio Giovinazzi and Mick Schumacher.
Confirmed 2022 Drivers:
- Driver 1: Charles Leclerc – In December 2019, Ferrari confirmed that Leclerc will remain a Maranello driver until 2024.
- Driver 2: Carlos Sainz Jr – the Spaniard will be in the second year of his current two-year deal with Ferrari in 2022.
AlphaTauri
AlphaTauri is one of the four teams that has no confirmed drivers for the 2022 season, although it does offer a number of options in both F1 and F2. It is very likely that Pierre Gasly and Yuki Tsunoda’s current line-up will keep their places, but without confirmation (and Red Bull are notoriously brave in their driver choice) it is still wide open.
Confirmed 2022 Drivers:
- Driver 1: Not yet confirmed
- Driver 2: Not yet confirmed
Potential drivers
- Pierre Gasly: The Frenchman has a long-term Red Bull deal until the end of 2023, and while he hasn’t been officially announced for 2022, his place at AlphaTauri is out of the question. In January 2021, AlphaTauri team boss Franz Tost said he doubted Red Bull would leave him easily, while Red Bull advisor Dr. Helmut Marko commented in July 2021: “This is the best Gasly we have seen so far.”
- Yuki Tsunoda: Tsunoda has a long-term contract with Red Bull and has a lot of momentum behind him. A number of accidents did not help his cause, but team boss Franz Tost has indicated that he would like to keep the Japanese rookie for a second year and says that he sees “no alternatives” to the current line-up for 2022.
- Juri-Vips: As Red Bull’s lead FIA F2 contender, currently fifth in the championship, Vips is the man who keeps Tsunoda busy and the Estonian remains an outside bet.
Yuki Tsunoda, AlphaTauri AT02
Photo by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images
Alfa Romeo
Alfa Romeo faces a difficult decision and the team may be the only team to enter with two new drivers in 2022. Neither Kimi Raikkonen nor Antonio Giovinazzi have contracts beyond 2021 and there have been rumors of who will occupy the two seats.
Confirmed 2022 Drivers:
- Driver 1: Not yet confirmed
- Driver 2: Not yet confirmed
Potential drivers
- Kimi Raikkonen: At 41, it is clear that Raikkonen is nearing the end of his career and while there are indications that this could be his final season, neither the Finn nor the team have made a decision about his future.
- Antonio Giovinazzi: Crucially, the recent Alfa Romeo sponsorship deal doesn’t guarantee a seat for a Ferrari Academy driver, and that weakens Giovinazzi’s position. The Italian has been on the team for three years and has done a solid job lately but his place remains in jeopardy.
- Callum Ilott: Reserve driver Ilott has impressed the team with FP1 outings, but the Alfa deal has weakened his position and there is little commercial need to run him.
- Valtteri Bottas: The multiple Grand Prix winner has two obvious options should Mercedes drop him and he could well end up with a direct call between Alfa Romeo and Williams. His inside knowledge of how Mercedes works will obviously come in handy. Before that he drove for team principal Fred Vasseur in GP3.
- Robert Shwartzmann: Like Ilott, Shwartzman’s chances were not improved by the new Alfa deal, but his ties to the Ferrari Academy are still useful. He is currently in third place in the F2 championship.
- Michael sSchumacher: While it is widely expected that he will stay with Haas for a second season, Schumacher could still move sideways to Alfa should Ferrari choose to push for such a move.
Callum Ilott, Alfa Romeo Racing
Photo by: Alfa Romeo
Haas
Haas currently has both spots available, although it’s hard to imagine that either Mick Schumacher or Nikita Mazepin will vacate their respective spots this year. The two rookies learned the ropes so far in 2021, and the sponsorship associated with both will likely help them move on in 2022.
Confirmed 2022 Drivers:
- Driver 1: Not yet confirmed
- Driver 2: Not yet confirmed
Potential drivers
- Nikita Mazepin: The plan for Mazepin was always based on a year of study with Haas followed by an extended stint on the team, but it hasn’t been officially announced for 2022. However, he said in April 2021 that he was “pretty sure” [he’ll] Spend at least a few years in this paddock, ”suggests an extension for 2022 and beyond.
- Michael sSchumacher: As with Mazepin, the German is expected to stay with Haas after a learning season, but no announcement has been made. A lateral move to Alfa Romeo remains an external option.
Williams
Together with Mercedes, the drivers at Williams are eagerly awaited for 2022. The main reason for this is again George Russell – will he stay with Williams or will he be promoted to Mercedes (and if so, who will replace him?). Following the sale of the William team to Dorilton Capital in 2020, the company received a new inflow of cash, reducing the need for salary drivers. Could we see a surprise in 2022?
Confirmed 2022 Drivers:
- Driver 1: Not yet confirmed
- Driver 2: Not yet confirmed
Potential drivers
- George Russell: Russell is widely expected to join Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes, but he will stay with the Williams team for a fourth year until the deal is announced.
- Nikolaus Latifi: Latifi comes with valuable sponsorship that the team may still have to rely on (although the team said it is no longer dependent on paid F1 drivers). A strong performance in Hungary showed that he is better than many think.
- Valtteri Bottas: Should Bottas be dropped by Mercedes, a switch back to Williams, for whom he last drove in 2016, remains an option. The team is much more attractive today than it was a few years ago.
- Nico Hulkenberg: Hulkenberg was on the sidelines as a replacement for Aston Martin this year after his Supersub appearances at Racing Point last year. He drove for Williams in 2010 and would obviously address his compatriot and current team boss Jost Capito.
- Daniil Kvyat: Kvyat is now free of all Red Bull ties and serves as a reserve for Alpine. He remains at the top of the list of drivers with new F1 experience.
Nicholas Latifi, Williams FW43B, George Russell, Williams FW43B
Photo by: Jerry Andre / Motorsport Images
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