2023 Driver Speculation

[Penfold]

Must say I'm baffled that Hulk is reportedly Haas' top choice to replace Mick - who himself has been giving Magnussen a run for his money of late. Why not make a grab for de Vries or take a punt on one of the talented youngsters, anything but two guys whose best performances are years behind them.

[Chrill]

I really don't see why Haas would drop Schumacher. Yes he had a poor start to this season. Even in junior racing he always adapted over the season. He's doing so this year too, to the new regulations. He has now got the hang of them, and is beating Magnussen.

Word on the street (I think I read it in a news article about Ralf Schumacher) is that in 2024, Audi will step in as Sauber sponsor before the 2026 engine regs. They want a German, and they want Mick. So Schumacher is likely joining Sauber in 2024 anyway, which might give him a year in DTM or just a year as a reserve for Haas/Ferrari/etc.

[Chrill]

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/alphatauri-retains-tsunoda-for-2023-formula-1-season/10372652/

Tsutsu staying at Alphalfa Tauri for 2023. We think Pedro Gaseoso will be moving to Alpine with De Vries in line to join Tsunoda.

[Chrill]

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/latifi-to-leave-williams-at-end-of-2022-f1-season/10373209/

Williams now confirm Latifi will leave at the end of the season.

With De Vries tied to AlphaTauri, who could drive this car?

Logan Sargeant is definitely an option, getting an American into F1 for the first time since Rossi had a few runs.
Mick Schumacher another option.
Ricciardo might be an option as well.

[Chrill]

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/zhou-guanyu-to-stay-with-alfa-romeo-f1-team-in-2023/10375017/

Zhou stays. Expected. He's been solid and reliable. Just needs to add some spark.

[Chrill]

Almost completed now.

Oracle Red Bull Racing:
1. Max Verstappen (link) - until end of 2028
11. Sergio Perez (link) - until end of 2024

Scuderia Ferrari:
16. Charles Leclerc (link) - until end of 2024
55. Carlos Sainz (link) - until end of 2024

Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team:
44. Lewis Hamilton (link) - until end of 2023
63. George Russell (link) - until end of 2023

BWT Alpine F1 Team:
10. Pierre Gasly (link) - until end of 2024
31. Esteban Ocon (link) - until end of 2024

McLaren F1 Team:
4. Lando Norris (link) - until end of 2025
?. Oscar Piastri (link) - until end of 2024

Alfa Romeo F1 Team Orlen:
24. Guanyu Zhou (link) - until end of 2023
77. Valtteri Bottas (link) - until end of 2024

Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant F1 Team:
14. Fernando Alonso (link) - until end of 2024
18. Lance Stroll (link) - until end of 2023

Haas F1 Team:
20. Kevin Magnussen (link) - until end of 2023
27. Nico Hülkenberg (link)
47. Mick Schumacher (link)
99. Antonio Giovinazzi (link)

Scuderia AlphaTauri:
22. Yuki Tsunoda (link) - until end of 2023
?. Nyck de Vries (link) - until end of 2024

Williams Racing:
23. Alexander Albon (link) - until end of 2023
47. Mick Schumacher (link)
?. Logan Sargeant (link)

Confirmed Retirement:
5. Sebastian Vettel (link)

Confirmed leaving, with no ties to another team
3. Daniel Ricciardo (link)
6. Nicolas Latifi (link)

Only two seats still open, and the likelihood of Sargeant joining Williams is high (but depending on how he finishes in F2, to secure enough super license points). That really leaves Haas, with Hülkenberg inexplicably the supposed front runner. We're likely to lose FOUR drivers then, going into 2023, with 3 rookies and one veteran joining in their place.

[Penfold]

Haas door still seemingly open for Ricciardo, question is whether he wants to go through it

[Chrill]

At least picking Ricciardo makes sense compared to Hulkenberg.

[Chrill]

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/ricciardo-set-to-join-red-bull-as-third-driver-in-2023-claims-marko/10401632/
Ricciardo to be some sort of "ambassador" for Red Bull, because Lawson has been announced as their 2023 reserve driver.



https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/nico-hulkenberg-comeback-haas-2023/10400888/
A middle-aged German, with 0 F1 podiums to his name, has been announced as the replacement for up-and-coming F2 champion Schumacher at Haas.

[Chrill]

And with that, we have a complete grid for 2023. Unless Sargeant messes up badly this weekend, and fails to secure his licence.

Oracle Red Bull Racing:
1. Max Verstappen (link) - until end of 2028
11. Sergio Perez (link) - until end of 2024

Scuderia Ferrari:
16. Charles Leclerc (link) - until end of 2024
55. Carlos Sainz (link) - until end of 2024

Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team:
44. Lewis Hamilton (link) - until end of 2023
63. George Russell (link) - until end of 2023

BWT Alpine F1 Team:
10. Pierre Gasly (link) - until end of 2024
31. Esteban Ocon (link) - until end of 2024

McLaren F1 Team:
4. Lando Norris (link) - until end of 2025
?. Oscar Piastri (link) - until end of 2024

Alfa Romeo F1 Team Orlen:
24. Guanyu Zhou (link) - until end of 2023
77. Valtteri Bottas (link) - until end of 2024

Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant F1 Team:
14. Fernando Alonso (link) - until end of 2024
18. Lance Stroll (link) - until end of 2023

Haas F1 Team:
20. Kevin Magnussen (link) - until end of 2023
27. Nico Hülkenberg (link) - until end of 2023

Scuderia AlphaTauri:
22. Yuki Tsunoda (link) - until end of 2023
?. Nyck de Vries (link) - until end of 2024

Williams Racing:
23. Alexander Albon (link) - until end of 2023
?. Logan Sargeant (link) - pending valid FIA superlicence

Confirmed Retirement:
5. Sebastian Vettel (link)

Confirmed leaving:
3. Daniel Ricciardo (link) - linked to Red Bull as 3rd driver/Ambassador
6. Nicolas Latifi (link) - linked to IndyCar
47. Mick Schumacher (link) - linked to Mercedes as 3rd driver/Ambassador

[Penfold]

Hulk and Magnum, well that's two reasons I won't be rooting for Haas next year....

[Chrill]

I hadn't seen this earlier, but Piastri will race with 81 on his car next season.

https://www.racefans.net/2022/09/27/piastri-explains-why-he-chose-number-81-for-f1-debut-in-2023/

I see De Vries used 34 sometimes in karting, and that is available. He won in F2 with car number 4, occupied by Norris. He won in Formula E with car number 17, and that is retired for Bianchi. So De Vries might go for 34, which is also double his Formula E winning number!

Sargeant has said he wants number 3, but that's reserved for Ricciardo for the coming 2 seasons. He's used 6 in Formula 2, reserved to Latifi for the coming 2 seasons. He could go for 33, double that 3, but that belongs to Verstappen even though he's using 1 at the moment. So the American might have to just grab whatever is available, for example 8 which expires at the end of the year (Grosjean last used it in 2020). He could go for 45, in honour of his favourite US politican.

Of course varying the 3 could give Sargeant 13, 30, or perhaps 53 like Rossi used when he was in F1. Herbie is a classic, no?

[Chrill]

I totally like this idea. Obviously you know what I'm going to do now. 23 races (China is out for next year), 23 drivers driving the "Entry 21". Red Bull get to run a 3rd car courtesy of being champion. This 3rd car will not score constructors point.

Race - Driver - Reason
Bahrain: Romain Grosjean - Reconquer the track that almost killed him
Saudi Arabia: Jamie Chadwick - Because women drivers in Saudi Arabia are super popular
Australia: Mark Webber - Home race
Azerbaijan: Daniil Kvyat - Nearly home race
Miami: Colton Herta - We'll make an exception to the whole Super License
Emilia Romagna: Giancarlo Fisichella - Last Italian to race for Ferrari
Monaco: Nico Rosberg - Living in Monaco, it's his home race really
Spain: Alex Palou - Spain's biggest IndyCar star!
Canada: Nicolas Latifi - At least he knows how to drive these cars
Austria: Felipe Drugovich - Scene of his first F2 win
Great Britain: Jenson Button - But instead of a 3rd Red Bull, maybe a 2009 Brawn?
Hungary: Jenson Button - Scene of first victory
Belgium: Mick Schumacher - In honour of dad
Netherlands: Robin Frijns - Biggest loss for F1, he should be here. Home race.
Italy: Felipe Massa - Always a Ferrari fan favorite
Singapore: Kamui Kobayashi - Since Vettel stole Japan, he'll join the grid here
Japan: Sebastian Vettel - The only circuit he'll race at
Qatar: Marc Márquez - Losail is a motorcycle venue. Could he make the switch?
USA: Daniel Ricciardo - Essentially American 1
Mexico City: Pato O'Ward - Obviously
São Paulo: Rubens Barrichello - He'll never be too old
Las Vegas: Daniel Ricciardo - Essentially American 2
Abu Dhabi: Marcus Ericsson - Indy 500 winner, and scene of his last F1 race


Sure, I reused some drivers like Button and Ricciardo. It's cool. If I can't do that, we could fit Karun Chandhok or Paul di Resta into the car at Silverstone for some live commentary. Ricciardo can do Vegas, but COTA can be run by Josef Newgarden.

[Chrill]

Sargeant announces he will use car number 2, last used by Kartoffel Van Door.

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.sargeant-announces-his-race-number-ahead-of-debut-f1-season-with-williams-in.35z9cfBQEh9nvT1j5lIEXS.html

[Penfold]

Too bad there isn't a streets of Edinburgh race for a Jackie Stewart outing, although he is 83... okay, maybe Paul di Resta or Coulthard