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Only eight places on the 2022 grid are still not officially confirmed as Formula 1 hits the part of the season where the driver market traditionally gets more exciting.
Twelve spots have now been signed, sealed, and announced with the rest either awaiting a decision or perhaps only confirmation.
F1 2022 driver latest
Mercedes: Lewis Hamilton, TBC
Red Bull: Max Verstappen, Sergio Perez
McLaren: Lando Norris, Daniel Ricciardo
Aston Martin: Sebastian Vettel, Lance Stroll
Alpine: Fernando Alonso, Esteban Ocon
Ferrari: Charles Leclerc, Carlos Sainz
AlphaTauri: Pierre Gasly*, Yuki Tsunoda*
Alfa Romeo: TBC, TBC
Haas: Nikita Mazepin, TBC
Williams: TBC, TBC
* yet to be officially confirmed
News of who will partner Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes is top of the priority list but both seats at Alfa Romeo and Williams, plus one at Haas, are also to be determined.
Red Bull’s second seat will be held by Sergio Perez for one more season with AlphaTauri keeping its pairing of Pierre Gasly and Yuki Tsunoda as a result – although that line-up is among the eight yet to be formally confirmed.
So, who is seriously in contention for the (supposedly) vacant places and when will we get an answer on which drivers have got the nod?
Mercedes
Valtteri Bottas, George Russell
“Maybe I know something, maybe I don’t” was Bottas’s cryptic but potentially revealing line in the build-up to the Belgian GP weekend, and the suspicion is he may know that he’s due to move on.
It’s a binary choice for Mercedes – either keep the proven, dependable Bottas or promote rising star Russell as it gears up for a possible post-Hamilton future.
It looks like we’ll know either way at the Italian Grand Prix at Monza. Because…
Alfa Romeo
Bottas, Antonio Giovinazzi, Kimi Raikkonen, Mick Schumacher, Callum Ilott, Robert Shwartzman
…announcing Bottas at Alfa Romeo’s home race would make a lot of sense.
Bottas is Alfa’s top target, should he be dropped by Mercedes, which would likely spell the end for Raikkonen’s F1 career.
“It’s always the same story, it’s like a domino,” says Fred Vasseur, Alfa Romeo team principal and CEO.
“I need to discuss with Kimi to know exactly what we want to do together. But soon, don’t worry, soon.”
Giovinazzi would offer continuity and a decent level of performance, as well as satisfying the car company’s desire for an Italian driver. For reserve Robert Kubica to get the seat, it would likely require significantly upped backing.
Haas
Schumacher, Shwartzman, Ilott
Haas headed into this year fully expecting to keep Mick Schumacher alongside Nikita Mazepin next year, but there have been behind-the-scenes machinations that could result in Schumacher switching to Alfa Romeo.
If so, Ferrari-affiliated drivers like Shwartzman or Ilott seem the most logical fit, although well-funded options from elsewhere can’t be ruled out.
Presumably, this will be settled once Schumacher’s potential path to Alfa Romeo is completely blocked. Haas is still talking like a team that expects a retained driver line-up, though.
“At the moment it looks like that we are staying with the same driver pairing,” says team boss Guenther Steiner.
“The confirmations will come at the appropriate time and hopefully not too far in the future. But at the moment that is what we focus on.”
Williams
Russell, Bottas, Nicholas Latifi, Nyck de Vries, Alex Albon
Williams has free choice of drivers given it is no longer essential to take those with backing, although that doesn’t preclude it from taking funded drivers if it feels they are the best option.
Latifi is set to remain given he already has a contract in place, while Formula E world champion Nyck de Vries has been hotly tipped to take Russell’s place.
Though Williams also represents Red Bull reserve Alex Albon’s best chance of getting back on the F1 grid, Red Bull isn’t projecting a hugely encouraging picture for him.
“We are just looking at whether there are any options in Formula 1 for him for next year,” says Red Bull team boss Christian Horner.
“In the event that he is not in a race seat, he will be performing the same role that he has done for this year.”
The Williams decision is inherently linked to Mercedes’. When Russell’s future is known either way Williams will communicate its plan – so that means Monza at the earliest.
