Alfa Romeo was the stepping stone for drivers who wanted to switch to Ferrari. The Switzerland-based team has a large roster of Ferrari-affiliated drivers, such as Charles Leclerc, Antonio Giovinazzi and Callum Ilott to name a few.
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However, for the 2022 season, the team will not have drivers from Ferrari’s academy as they will have Valtteri Bottas and Guanyu Zhou. But they will try to get her on the team at some point in the future.
Alfa Romeo boss declares they will not cut ties with Ferrari
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Since 2018, the team has been helping drivers associated with Ferrari by giving them the opportunity to drive for Alfa Romeo in F1. But for the 2022 season they will not have Ferrari academy drivers at the wheel. However, they don’t want to part ways with the Italian team.
Speaking to Autosport, as quoted by Soymotor, team boss Fredéric Vasseur said: “Because we have chosen a different option, it does not mean that we will no longer work with Ferrari in the future. You have to do this on a case-by-case basis because you can’t plan to work with the pilots for the next ten years. You can’t say, ‘Okay, in the next ten years you’ll have a rookie’, Ferrari doesn’t need a driver every year.”
Formula One F1 – Belgian Grand Prix – Spa-Francorchamps, Spa, Belgium – August 27, 2021 Alfa Romeo’s Kimi Raikkonen during practice REUTERS/Johanna Geron
“We have to work on a case-by-case basis and this is fully understood by both parties,” he concluded. (Translated from Spanish via Google)
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What does Bottas say about joining a new team on the 2022 starting lineup?
The Finn has been with Mercedes since 2017 and after five successful years has now decided to part with the Silver Arrows and switch to Alfa Romeo.
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Speaking of his next chapter in his F1 career, Bottas said: “A new chapter in my racing career begins: I look forward to taking part in a new challenge with an iconic manufacturer at Alfa Romeo Racing ORLEN in 2022 and beyond.”
Formula One F1 – Mexican Grand Prix – Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, Mexico City, Mexico – November 4, 2021 Mercedes’ Valtteri Bottas during the Pool press conference via REUTERS/Edgard Garrido
Bottas added: “I’m grateful for the trust the team has placed in me and I can’t wait to repay their trust: I’m as hungry as ever, racing for results and, when the time comes, for wins to drive. i know fred [Vasseur] Well, and I look forward to getting to know the rest of the team that I will be working with and building relationships as strong as the ones I have at Mercedes.”
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Valtteri will drive alongside Zhou in the upcoming Formula 1 season. What are your predictions for the Alfa Romeo duo as they prepare for the challenges that await them in 2022? Let us know what you think in the comment section below.
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