The idea of Formula 1 teams with three cars has resurfaced and the current range of drivers available makes this a fascinating proposition.
It was Mercedes boss Toto Wolff who recently announced that he is advocating the introduction of a third car for each team, with a focus on juniors, as Formula 1 seeks to address the current shortage of available seats.
“If it is financially feasible to have a third car with a compulsory rookie driver, we suddenly have a starting field of 30 cars, and the smaller teams can finance these places with funds from the drivers or sponsors. That could be very exciting, ”suggested Wolff.
While not every team has a junior ready for Formula 1, there are plenty of names on the sidelines who might be looking to get started.
Thinking that the FIA ditched that idea for 2022, we thought we’d go through our ideal third driver for all 10 teams.
Mercedes: Oscar Piastri
If Wolff pushes for this idea, the question arises as to which young driver he is thinking of for a third seat at Mercedes.
George Russell’s long training has been completed, he will be part of the Mercedes line-up in 2022, but the team’s other young driver options are limited, only Frederik Vesti in Formula 3 is about to be appointed.
Perhaps Wolff will already have a junior outside of the Mercedes program in mind, and if so, then it should be Piastri.
The reigning Formula 3 champion and current F2 championship leader is nearing the rare achievement of winning these titles in a row, which, interestingly, Russell achieved himself before joining Williams.
Alpine has a headache trying to find spots for their talented juniors, with Piastri arguably the best bet so Mercedes could come to their rescue with a third car.
Remember, Mercedes and Alpine have already helped each other with young drivers, step forward Esteban Ocon.
Piastri certainly wouldn’t turn down this offer from Mercedes, while Alpine said they won’t stop their juniors from joining rival teams. It would all make sense.
Red Bull: Juri Vips
After a difficult time, the Red Bull Junior Team is now back in good health and some talented youngsters are working their way through the ranks.
But if you look at the number of Formula 2 drivers, Vips would be the most obvious choice for a third seat at Red Bull.
The 21-year-old Estonian is Red Bull’s best performance in the 2021 F2 championship, with P2 still a realistic goal in the final standings. He also represented the Austrian outfit at the Young Driver Test 2020.
So if Red Bull had a third car to fill, Vips would be the best driver for the job.
Ferrari: Callum Ilott
Ilott has already signed a full-time IndyCar deal for 2022 with the Juncos Hollinger team, but if the opportunity arises to drive for Ferrari in Formula 1 this year, he would surely push for a way out of that deal.
The British racing driver has a lot of experience lately having made his FP1 debut with Alfa Romeo this season and should Ferrari need a third racing driver then Ilott would be the obvious choice.
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McLaren: Pato O’Ward
McLaren is in a position not to have a young Formula 1 driver in its ranks, but it is an exciting option thanks to its IndyCar team.
O’Ward, a Red Bull Junior for short, now competes for the Arrow McLaren SP IndyCar outfit and becomes P3 in the 2021 campaign, and McLaren has incorporated him into their Formula 1 interests as well.
A test for O’Ward in McLaren F1 machines is due in December, an opportunity the Mexican secured through a deal with McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown after an initial IndyCar win.
Brown opened the door to O’Ward to switch to Formula 1, and with McLaren back at the top of the grid, it makes Formula 1 with McLaren a much more attractive prospect.
At only 22 years old, O’Ward is a great talent for the future and would have a unique chance of a glamorous Formula 1 career in the third McLaren F1 car.
Alpine: Guanyu Zhou
It is very attractive for any team in Formula 1 to have a Chinese driver, considering that a huge market will suddenly open up.
Fortunately, Zhou combines that with talent when pushing for the Formula 2 title, and as a member of the Alpine Academy, he would be the team’s clear choice if a third seat was to be created.
Fernando Alonso has a wealth of experience and proven track record, Esteban Ocon has demonstrated his ability and the potential for further improvement is there.
Aston Martin: Nico Hulkenberg
Aston Martin is very focused on building a bright future for themselves in Formula 1, and a seasoned recruit like Nico Hulkenberg would help lay the groundwork.
The 34-year-old has the unwanted record of most race starts without a podium, that’s 179, sorry Nico, but the 34-year-old is a talent that many believe should still be in Formula 1.
He currently serves as Aston Martin’s reserve driver and would be the perfect match for a three-car attack by Aston Martin.
AlphaTauri: Dennis Hauger
If there was a vacancy, AlphaTauri would surely have to offer it to the brightest candidate in Red Bull’s junior ranks, Dennis Hauger.
The 18-year-old Norwegian dominated the F3 championship in 2021, won four races and stood on the podium five more times.
He comfortably has the super license points he needs to get into Formula 1 and how exciting it would be to see him with AlphaTauri as part of a three-car team in 2022.
Williams: Nyck de Vries
For a while, De Vries was under discussion to join Williams for 2022, but the nod ultimately went to Alex Albon, who becomes Nicholas Latifi’s partner.
But would De Vries be lucky a second time if three Williams cars were suddenly on the grid? It’s hard to argue against it.
The reigning Formula E champion and former Formula 2 champion has demonstrated his ability to win and perform under pressure. Without obvious youngsters in the ranks of Williams, De Vries would be the perfect option.
Alfa Romeo: Theo Pourchaire
The young Sauber star Pourchaire is already a contender for Alfa Romeo for 2022. So if he is to be overlooked, a third Alfa Romeo seat would be covered with his name.
The Frenchman just recently turned 18, is already a two-time Formula 2 race winner, and while the title is not yet impossible, P2 is a very realistic target.
Understandably, Sauber and Alfa Romeo don’t want to rush him, but Pourchaire already seems to be defying its age.
Haas: Robert Shwartzman
Ferrari’s ties to Haas would logically allow them to bring another junior driver into Formula 1 if all teams could use three drivers so that Haas and Robert Shwartzman would be a good match.
After missing a racing seat in 2021, Shwartzman stayed in Formula 2 and continues to impress with two race wins and a trio of P3 placements this season.
So if Haas had the opportunity to drive a third driver, Shwartzman would deserve it.
The post The third driver line-up of Planet F1 in Formula 1 first appeared on monter-une-startup.
