The future of most Formula 1 drivers seems secure for 2022, but there are some names in the F1 drivers market still up for grabs.
Follow Us
Formula 1 and driver upheaval go together like fish and chips, burgers and fries or any other classic combination you can think of. Performance is everything, and often times drivers have found themselves shunted from team to team in the middle of the season. This isn’t a common phenomenon in modern-day F1, but driver changes still happen. Given there exists a large talent pool of drivers and only 20 seats in the sport, this is understandable. Yet recent years has seen teams take a more measured, long-term approach to driver contracts. This can be seen in how all major teams have at least one if not both drivers tied down on multi-year deals.
Despite that, the option to make changes remains. And that is why even now, a few drivers are being linked to certain vacant seats. Here we look at five notable names available in the drivers market.
The former AlphaTauri and Red Bull driver was recently name-checked by both Red Bull boss Christian Horner and Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff as someone who should be racing in F1. Indeed, despite being dropped for 2022, he remains associated with Red Bull. He is their reserve driver and also races for Red Bull AF Corse in the 2021 Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters (DTM) series, where he won a race recently.
Christian Horner and Toto Wolff share their thoughts on a possible return to the grid in 2022 for Alex Albon#DutchGP ?? #F1 pic.twitter.com/PjpI4cGrfC
— Formula 1 (@F1) September 3, 2021
Yet it remains clear the British-born Thai driver is keen on another crack at F1. As such, it’s little surprise he’s being linked to both Alfa Romeo and Williams. Both moves are feasible, but the Williams move is dependant upon Mercedes, who, as engine partners to the team, would like a driver of their own to presumably replace George Russell, who is apparently Mercedes-bound. Which brings us to our next entry…
The Dutch driver is a world champion with the Mercedes AMG team, although in Formula E. As such, he’s been strongly linked with a move to Formula 1 and the Williams seat. It seems likely that he would replace Russell, yet there’s plenty of moving factors to consider here. For one, Wolff admitted he might just keep De Vries in Formula E given his title-winning pedigree over there.
For the other, the news of Russell moving is not yet official – although all signs point in that direction. Still, De Vries is a talented driver who is also Mercedes’ reserve driver currently. Whether he gets a chance to shine in Formula 1, however, remains to be seen as of now.
After mentioniong Red Bull and Mercedes, it’s time for Ferrari to be represented in the junior driver category! Among the drivers considered most likely to next make the jump is the British driver Callum Ilott. The man who was runner-up to 2020 F2 world champion Mick Schumacher is not in F2 currently.
However, he’s currently the official reserve driver for Alfa Romeo – Ferrari’s partners – and also the test driver for Ferrari. He won’t get a Ferrari seat but could move to Haas or Alfa – depending on what Schumacher decides for next season, of course. It would be deserving reward for a driver many rate highly.
This Red Bull academy driver is only being mentioned because he ws recently name-checked by driver programme head Dr. Helmut Marko. The former F1 driver is known for speaking his mind to anyone willing to listen, and mentioned the New Zealand-born driver as one of their most promising youngsters.
It’s evident Red Bull rate him highly, given he’s both Albon’s DTM teammate while also racing in F2. Could he come in to F1 in 2022 though? It seems a bit unlikely at first, but stranger things have happened. There’s still some uncertainty around both Pierre Gasly and Yuki Tsunoda’s status at AlphaTauri remains up in the air. It would be quite the step-up for the 19-year old, but the last young driver they promoted did quite well for himself…
Out with the young and in with the old. This is a rumour that never really goes away, given that Hulkenberg never actually retired from the sport. He did a fine job filling in at Racing Point last year but hasn’t found a full-time seat in 2021. Of course, he remains Aston Martin’s reserve driver and so isn’t entirely out of touch with the sport.
However, he hasn’t been a full-time driver since 2019. The German has also repeatedly stressed on the fact that he is keen to race in Formula 1 still, and it’s easy to understand why. He was never able to scale the heights many felt he would; in fact, he’s never finished on an F1 podium in his career. Thus, there remains a sense of unfinished business. Whether or not he gets a chance to race in 2022, however, is still veru much up for debate.
2023 Formula E Hyderabad ePrix: Preview, Dates, Tickets, Live Streaming, all you need to know
