The Method 1 ‘foolish season’ is in full swing… However who’s truly racing within the sport subsequent 12 months? Whose seat is safe, and who’s dealing with the chopping block?
The 2022 Method 1 World Championship is shaping as much as be one of the vital dramatic and thrilling in latest reminiscence – excessive reward after the rollercoaster that was the 2021 season.
The 2023 season hasn’t even began but and there have already been cleaning soap opera-levels of drama surrounding subsequent 12 months’s driver lineup, with shock retirements, defections and signings dominating headlines – particularly round reigning Method 2 World Champion Oscar Piastri and his signing with McLaren.
We’ve put collectively a listing of all the present drivers and their groups to reply who’s racing in Method 1 in 2023.
The 2023 Method 1 driver line-up
McLaren
Lando Norris: contract till 2025, seat safe
Daniel Ricciardo: shedding seat, changed by Oscar Piastri, future unclear
Oscar Piastri: “multi-year” deal
Let’s begin issues off with the group that’s been the main target of essentially the most drama: McLaren. For those who haven’t heard by now, Australian driver Daniel Ricciardo has had his three-year McLaren contract terminated early, with the eight-time Grand Prix winner being changed by fellow Aussie and F1 beginner, Oscar Piastri.
RELATED: It’s Confirmed: Oscar Piastri Will Race For McLaren In 2023
McLaren might be paying out Ricciardo upwards of AU$35 million to launch him from his contract, and may also should repay Alpine, who they controversially poached Piastri from – a lot to Alpine’s chagrin.
The writing has been on the wall for Danny Ric for some time now. Regardless of returning to his race-winning methods in 2021 throughout his first season with McLaren with a spectacular win on the Italian Grand Prix, ‘The Honey Badger’ has struggled to wrap his head round McLaren’s automobiles, recording extremely inconsistent, reasonably common outcomes – and been comprehensively outperformed by his youthful teammate, Britain’s Lando Norris.
It’s not but clear the place Ricciardo will find yourself in 2023. He’s been linked with a transfer to Alpine, in addition to to Haas or Mercedes (the latter of which being as a reserve driver). It’s additionally been speculated he would possibly take a break in 2023 and return to the grid in 2024, with a remark caught by the recent mic lately lending credence to that idea.
In distinction, Lando Norris’ seat at McLaren is safe, with the younger gun having signed a contract extension earlier this 12 months in February that can see him be with the group till a minimum of 2025. McLaren has made it apparent that they see Norris, who has solely ever raced with McLaren in F1, as the way forward for the group.
It’ll be attention-grabbing to see how the partnership between Norris and Piastri performs out subsequent 12 months. Will Norris rise to the event because the senior driver? Or will Piastri present up Norris the identical method Norris confirmed up Ricciardo?
Mercedes
Lewis Hamilton: contract till the top of 2023
George Russell: signed “long-term deal” in 2022, seat safe
Over at Mercedes, issues are far much less fractious. Each British drivers might be racing in F1 subsequent 12 months, with George Russell – who joined the highest group this season after three seasons with backmarker Williams – locked in for years to come back, and Lewis Hamilton locked in for subsequent 12 months.
Russell has positively made his presence felt at Mercedes, with the younger Brit securing his maiden pole place and outperforming his seven-time World Champion teammate, who has been considerably subdued this season after shedding the 2021 World Championship to Purple Bull’s Max Verstappen below controversial circumstances.
There’s loads of hypothesis as as to whether Sir Lewis will stay in F1 post-2023 and have one other crack at making an attempt to beat Michael Schumacher’s file of seven titles, or whether or not he’ll go away the game because the GOAT and pursue one among his myriad different pursuits.
Purple Bull
Max Verstappen: contract till 2028, seat safe
Sergio Pérez: contract till 2024
Issues are happier nonetheless at Purple Bull, with reigning World Champion Max Verstappen and Sergio Pérez having fun with a surprisingly fruitful partnership and each drivers secured previous 2023.
Verstappen is Purple Bull’s golden youngster and has a mammoth contract till 2028 – the gifted Dutchman received’t be going anyplace quickly. Pérez, too, simply signed a 2-year extension with the group simply earlier than his win on the Monaco Grand Prix, main the Mexican to joke that he “signed too early”.
Purple Bull had beforehand struggled to discover a teammate for Verstappen after Ricciardo left the group in 2018, burning by Pierre Gasly and Alex Albon in fast succession earlier than selecting the extra skilled Pérez. With each the 2022 drivers’ and constructors’ titles comfortably of their sights, a cheerful driver pairing and a Porsche deal on the horizon for 2026, issues couldn’t be going higher for Purple Bull.
RELATED: Porsche To Be part of Method 1 With Purple Bull Partnership
Ferrari
Charles Leclerc: contract till 2024
Carlos Sainz: contract till 2024
Ah, Ferrari. The storied Italian group began off the 2022 season sturdy however has since been solidly eclipsed by Purple Bull due to a heady mixture of automotive unreliability, driver error and embarrassing technique errors. Nonetheless, a minimum of they’ve received a great driver pairing that’s safe previous 2023… In idea, a minimum of.
There have been rumours that Charles Leclerc, who signed a 5-year take care of the Scuderia again in 2019, would possibly train an exit clause in his contract which may see him go away on the finish of the 2022 season. The usually pretty sedate Monégasque, who’s Verstappen’s foremost title rival this season, has been extremely pissed off by his group’s strategic blunders, so it’s not totally spurious.
Nonetheless, Leclerc’s exit clause would solely change into energetic if Ferrari completed under third within the constructors’ standings, which appears extremely unlikely. Ferrari is presently 2nd within the standings and though Mercedes appears to be resurgent, 4th-placed Alpine must carry out miracles to eclipse both Mercedes or Ferrari.
RELATED: Charles Leclerc’s Perspective Is A Refreshing Change Of Tempo For Method 1
Sainz’s place on the group appears much less up within the air. The Spanish driver recorded his maiden pole place and F1 win on the British Grand Prix this 12 months, appears to be having fun with a heat partnership with Leclerc and signed a contract extension in April to take him to the top of 2024.
Alpine
Esteban Ocon: contract till 2024
Fernando Alonso: leaving for Aston Martin
Driver TBC
The opposite group mired in drama this 12 months has been Alpine. Fernando Alonso’s shock defection to Aston Martin took the group abruptly, who utterly fumbled the go with their subsequent alternative, Oscar Piastri, who has shunned the group to go to McLaren. A lot has been mentioned about this drama so we received’t go into it right here. All it is advisable to know is Alpine has utterly screwed the pooch.
RELATED: Alpine & McLaren Have Each Screwed Oscar Piastri Over
The actual query is who Alpine will attempt to get to fill the void left by Alonso and Piastri. It’s been advised that they’ll attempt to nab Pierre Gasly, and we will see why which may work: two French drivers at a French group looks like an interesting prospect, and Gasly is reportedly eager to depart AlphaTauri. That mentioned, Ocon and Gasly famously don’t get on.
One other suggestion is that Ricciardo would possibly come again to the group, which he ditched on the finish of 2020 for McLaren. It wouldn’t be essentially the most snug of preparations, Ricciardo returning to Alpine together with his tail between his legs, nevertheless it’s arguably the most effective consequence for Ricciardo. If each Danny Ric and Alpine can let bygones be bygones, it may truly work reasonably effectively. Certainly, it may give each the driving force and group renewed vigour: to be out for revenge in opposition to McLaren.
Alternatively, Alpine would possibly promote one other junior. They’ve received one other gifted Aussie on their books with Jack Doohan, or they may attempt to nab one other promising younger driver, just like the French Sauber Academy driver Théo Pourchaire, who’s 2nd within the F2 championship.
Esteban Ocon’s contract has been a far much less contentious problem, fortunately. The Frenchman has proven promising efficiency since becoming a member of the group, securing his first F1 win on the Hungarian Grand Prix final 12 months. He signed a three-year extension final 12 months, too, so he’s good till 2024.
Aston Martin
Sebastian Vettel: retiring at finish of 2022 season
Fernando Alonso: signed on a “multi-year” contract to switch Vettel
Lance Stroll: confirmed as Alonso’s teammate, seat safe
4-time World Champion Sebastian Vettel’s shock announcement that he could be retiring on the finish of the season after 16 years within the sport has been the catalyst for many of the F1 foolish season drama this 12 months. That’s not his fault, although.
RELATED: Sebastian Vettel Says McLaren ‘Failed’ Daniel Ricciardo
What was stunning was the information simply days later that two-time World Champion Fernando Alonso could be taking his area. Alonso’s contract with Alpine was at all times going to finish on the finish of 2022, however most followers thought Alpine would attempt to retain him (and it’s subsequently emerged that Alpine thought that’s what was going to occur, too…)
It’s an odd transfer for Alonso, particularly seeing how a lot momentum Alpine’s had currently and relatively how little momentum Aston Martin has had. Simply Alonso being Alonso we guess.
Lance Stroll’s seat, then again, is essentially the most safe seat in F1, as his dad owns the group. He’s been confirmed as Alonso’s teammate, which is a pleasant method of claiming he’s received an indefinite contract with Aston. Should be good.
Alfa Romeo
Valtteri Bottas: contract signed “for 2022 and past”, purported to run till 2024
Zhou Guanyu: TBC
Alfa Romeo’s 2022 goes fairly effectively, particularly in comparison with 2021. Particularly, former Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas has completely pushed the pants off his Alfa Romeo C42 automotive, clearly relishing the prospect to be a group’s lead driver after taking part in second fiddle to Lewis Hamilton for therefore lengthy.
RELATED: Valtteri Bottas Shares ‘Viking’ Secret Behind Succeeding In Life
F1 rookie Zhou Guanyu has had a blended season. He managed a factors end in his very first F1 race, but additionally survived a stunning crash on the British Grand Prix which noticed him flip his automotive upside-down, skid throughout all the observe and gravel lure, and bounce over the protection barrier.
Botta’s seat is safe nevertheless it stays to be seen whether or not or not Zhou will race in F1 subsequent 12 months, particularly contemplating what number of different drivers are ready within the wings. It will be a disgrace to see Zhou go: the primary Chinese language driver in F1, he has confirmed to be an enthralling and thoughtful presence on the grid – a far cry from Nikita Mazepin’s antics…
AlphaTauri
Pierre Gasly: contract till the top of 2023
Yuki Tsunoda: TBC
Purple Bull’s junior group has lengthy been thought-about considerably of a midway home for Purple Bull’s junior drivers, and appropriately, large questions stay over each drivers’ futures with the group.
Pierre Gasly formally has a contract till the top of 2023, however as beforehand talked about, there’s been talks that Alpine would possibly wish to attempt to lure him away from the Purple Bull household. Purple Bull has come out and mentioned that Gasly’s sticking with them however that is still to be seen.
Yuki Tsunoda’s future appears much less sure. His contract’s up on the finish of this 12 months and his efficiency has been common at finest. With out Honda formally concerned with the group, he doesn’t have that Japanese assist anymore, both. He’s prone to get a minimum of one other 12 months with AlphaTauri however he’ll additionally should deal with Purple Bull junior Liam Lawson, Alex Albon and possibly even Daniel Ricciardo for his seat in 2023.
Williams
Alex Albon: “multi-year” contract from 2023 onwards
Nicholas Latifi: TBC
Former Purple Bull driver Alex Albon lastly discovered his method again onto the F1 grid with Williams this 12 months and has to this point confirmed to be an ample performer, securing a number of factors finishes for the embattled group. His seat’s safe.
Nicholas Latifi, nonetheless, has failed to attain a single level this season. It’s broadly thought-about that the Canadian pay driver’s quick and unimpressive F1 profession might be over on the finish of the 12 months, with new group homeowners Dorilton Capital desperate to get a extra expert driver in his place.
There are three junior drivers who’re prone to take Latifi’s seat: Nyck de Vries, who’s presently Mercedes’ reserve driver and reigning Method E champion (Williams has a powerful relationship with Mercedes); Logan Sargeant, a Williams junior who’s presently third within the F2 championship; or Felipe Drugovich, who’s main the F2 championship and isn’t aligned with a junior program.
Every of those choices has its personal attract. De Vries is a confirmed winner who’s benefitted from Mercedes publicity. Drugovich is massively gifted, too. Sargeant is American, which may assist usher in much-need sponsorship cash. Alternatively, Daniel Ricciardo might be within the combine, too – that is much less doubtless as it could characterize a significant demotion for him.
Haas
Kevin Magnussen: “multi-year deal”, seat safe
Mick Schumacher: TBC
Lastly, we now have Haas, which went from being a little bit of a laughing inventory in 2021 with the disastrous double rookie pairing of Mick Schumacher and Nikita Mazepin to a return to point-scoring in 2022 with the return of Kevin Magnussen.
Russian wealthy child Mazepin, simply the weakest driver on the grid in 2021, was booted from the group throughout testing in Bahrain earlier this 12 months after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, together with his father’s firm Uralkali additionally shedding their title sponsor rights.
RELATED: Don’t Really feel Sorry For Fired Method 1 Driver Nikita Mazepin
Magnussen, who raced for Haas between 2017 and 2020, instantly stamped his mark on the American group upon his return, with the Dane coming fifth on the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix – ending an 18-month factors drought for Haas. Okay-Magazine has continued to file strong performances for the group, sitting above race winners like Ricciardo and Vettel within the championship. His spot at Haas is safe, having signed “a multi-year deal” with the group.
Schumacher, then again, hasn’t completed fairly so effectively. The German wunderkind and son of seven-time World Champion Michael scored his first F1 factors with an Eighth-place end on the British Grand Prix, however he’s additionally had a few heavy crashes and has been reasonably outperformed by his older teammate.
Schumacher’s Haas deal ends this season and he’s additionally been let go from his Ferrari junior contract, which means his future is reasonably unsure. Haas group principal Guenther Steiner has expressed an curiosity in retaining Schumacher, however we additionally know he’s not pleased about Mick’s crashes over the past two seasons.
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