2022 Driver Speculation

[Penfold]

I assume it's purely a driver-based decision for Williams, must have enough cash that they're freed from running Merc juniors - though not so much that they ditch Latifi!

Will certainly be odd to have a Merc guy sat in front of a Ferrari engine, and a Red Bull chap with a Merc motor at his disposal... just need a Ferrari junior at Alpha Tory

[Chrill]

just need a Ferrari junior at Alpha Tory

We do get a Ferrari junior running Juncos. So that's something, but it's in the US of A.

[eurobrun]

It would appear that Albon to Williams is a done deal... Based on Albon's girlfriend suddenly following Williams on Twitter despite not following any other teams. 

[Chrill]

Based on Albon's girlfriend suddenly following Williams on Twitter despite not following any other teams. 

This is the kind of content I come here for. Well done euro. Albon to Williams is definitely interesting, just remains to be seen whether Latifi stays as most reports seem to claim.

[Chrill]

The news literally everyone expected? Kimi confirms his retirement:
https://www.racefans.net/2021/09/01/raikkonen-announces-his-retirement-at-end-of-2021-season/

Definitely a step 1 in the whole Raikkonen-Bottas-Russell-Albon-De Vries-Giovinazzi saga.

Step 2:
https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/bottas-to-drive-for-alfa-romeo-f1-team-in-2022/6661654/

Bottas confirmed at Alfa Romeo on a "multi-year deal". We expect Russell to Mercedes to come before Monza right? Maybe even today, or tomorrow.

[Chrill]

And with Bottas confirmed, an updated list:


Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team:
44. Lewis Hamilton (link)
63. George Russell (link)

Red Bull Racing Honda:
11. Sergio Perez (link) (NEW!)
33. Max Verstappen (link)

Scuderia Mission Winnow Ferrari:
16. Charles Leclerc (link)
55. Carlos Sainz (link)

McLaren F1 Team:
3. Daniel Ricciardo (link)
4. Lando Norris (link)

Alpine F1 Team:
14. Fernando Alonso (link) (NEW!)
31. Esteban Ocon (link)

Scuderia AlphaTauri Honda:
10. Pierre Gasly (link)
22. Yuki Tsunoda (link)
23. Alexander Albon (link)
?. Jak Crawford (link)
?. Jehan Daruvala (link)
?. Jonny Edgar (link)
?. Jüri Vips (link)
?. Liam Lawson (link)

Aston Martin Cognizant F1 Team:
5. Sebastian Vettel (link)
18. Lance Stroll (link)
27. Nico Hülkenberg (link)

Williams Racing:
6. Nicolas Latifi (link)
23. Alexander Albon (link) (NEW!)
63. George Russell (link)
?. Frederik Vesti (link)

Alfa Romeo Racing Orlen:
77. Valtteri Bottas (link) (NEW!)
99. Antonio Giovinazzi (link)
?. Callum Ilott (link)
?. Marcus Armstrong (link)
?. Nyck de Vries (link) (NEW!)
?. Robert Shwartzman (link)

Uralkali Haas F1 Team:
9. Nikita Mazepin (link)
47. Mick Schumacher (link)

[Chrill]

And Gasly+Tsunoda confirmed to stay on for AlphaTauri in 2022. So, not many seats left. Only real question left is Williams + 1 Alfa Romeo, because we all know Stroll and Schumacher will stay with their respective teams and Russell will join Mercedes.

[Chrill]

And some Dutch website claiming De Vries actually signed a 2022 F1 contract yesterday, presumably with Alfa Romeo:

https://translate.google.com/translate?sl=auto&tl=en&u=https://www.gptoday.net/nl/nieuws/f1/263952/nyck-de-vries-heeft-vanochtend-f1-contract-ondertekend

[Matt]

Pretty sure those two seats will be De Vries and Albon.

[Chrill]

Obviously George is now confirmed to race for Mercedes in 2022:

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.mercedes-announce-george-russell-will-partner-lewis-hamilton-in-2022.jtndbCmN3CR8Lm9s54e4T.html

So, let's review the front running teams of Mercedes and Red Bull, as well as the closer midfield of Ferrari, McLaren, Alpine, AlphaTauri, and Aston Martin (and perhaps Alfa Romeo, Williams, Haas).

Who stands the best chance of building a really good 2022 car? And, these cars are clearly different beasts, which drivers will find it easy to adapt?

As it stands, I think Red Bull, McLaren, and AlphaTauri definitely seem to be going in the right direction car development wise. In terms of drivers, it does seem Perez and Ricciardo have struggled more than Sainz to adjust to their new surroundings.

Could this see Norris-Verstappen duking it out for 2022, perhaps with Leclerc, Hamilton, and Russell also giving chase?

[Chrill]

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/williams-signs-alex-albon-for-formula-1-return-in-2022/6662623/

And now Albon+Latifi is confirmed for Williams. This is all happening too fast.

[Chrill]

Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team:
44. Lewis Hamilton (link)
63. George Russell (link) (NEW!)

Red Bull Racing Honda:
11. Sergio Perez (link)
33. Max Verstappen (link)

Scuderia Mission Winnow Ferrari:
16. Charles Leclerc (link)
55. Carlos Sainz (link)

McLaren F1 Team:
3. Daniel Ricciardo (link)
4. Lando Norris (link)

Alpine F1 Team:
14. Fernando Alonso (link)
31. Esteban Ocon (link)

Scuderia AlphaTauri Honda:
10. Pierre Gasly (link) (NEW!)
22. Yuki Tsunoda (link) (NEW!)

Aston Martin Cognizant F1 Team:
5. Sebastian Vettel (link)
18. Lance Stroll (link)
27. Nico Hülkenberg (link)

Williams Racing:
6. Nicolas Latifi (link)
23. Alexander Albon (link) (NEW!)

Alfa Romeo Racing Orlen:
77. Valtteri Bottas (link) (NEW!)
99. Antonio Giovinazzi (link)
?. Callum Ilott (link)
?. Marcus Armstrong (link)
?. Nyck de Vries (link) (NEW!)
?. Robert Shwartzman (link)

Uralkali Haas F1 Team:
9. Nikita Mazepin (link)
47. Mick Schumacher (link)



Let's see how long this remains accurate ...

[Chrill]

Well Stroll+Vettel confirmed at Aston Martin too.

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/aston-martin-confirms-vettel-stroll-f1-2022/6668399/

Who saw that coming? All of us.

[Chrill]

Only one seat left, now that Haas has confirmed their current rookie pairing for a 2nd season.


Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team:
44. Lewis Hamilton (link)
63. George Russell (link)

Red Bull Racing Honda:
11. Sergio Perez (link)
33. Max Verstappen (link)

McLaren F1 Team:
3. Daniel Ricciardo (link)
4. Lando Norris (link)

Scuderia Mission Winnow Ferrari:
16. Charles Leclerc (link)
55. Carlos Sainz (link)

Alpine F1 Team:
14. Fernando Alonso (link)
31. Esteban Ocon (link)

Scuderia AlphaTauri Honda:
10. Pierre Gasly (link)
22. Yuki Tsunoda (link)

Aston Martin Cognizant F1 Team:
5. Sebastian Vettel (link)
18. Lance Stroll (link)

Williams Racing:
6. Nicolas Latifi (link)
23. Alexander Albon (link)

Alfa Romeo Racing Orlen:
77. Valtteri Bottas (link)
99. Antonio Giovinazzi (link)
?. Callum Ilott (link)
?. Marcus Armstrong (link)
?. Nyck de Vries (link)
?. Oscar Piastri (link)
?. Robert Shwartzman (link)

Uralkali Haas F1 Team:
9. Nikita Mazepin (link) (NEW!)
47. Mick Schumacher (link) (NEW!)


I'd prefer seeing Oscar Piastri in the 2nd Alfa, but he seems to be a long shot at best.

[Chrill]

https://racer.com/2021/09/28/all-f1-teams-to-run-rookie-drivers-twice-in-2022/

Teams will be forced to run rookies in Friday practice twice next season. Who will run for which team?

Mercedes:
Nyck De Vries (unless he gets the seat at Alfa Romeo)

Red Bull: (and AlphaTauri)
Jehan Deruvala, Liam Lawson, Jüri Vips, or Dennis Hauger

McLaren:
Pato O'Ward, I suppose. Or any Mercedes affiliated driver

Ferrari:
Marcus Armstrong, Callum Ilott, Robert Shwartzman, or maybe even Arthur Leclerc

Alpine:
Guanyu Zhou, Oscar Piastri, Christian Lundgaard

Aston Martin:
Any Mercedes affiliate, maybe Frederik Vesti?

Williams:
Jamie Chadwick, perhaps? That's great PR if anything

Alfa Romeo:
Théo Pourchaire, Juan Manuel Correa, or whoever pays the most

Haas:
Pietro Fittipaldi, or whoever pays the most


Hmm, at least some of these names are bound to be F1 drivers in the future, such as Piastri, Pourchaire, and Hauger.