Daniel Ricciardo to Haas and more – Three F1 signings that could spring a crazy surprise
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F1 drivers Mick Schumacher (L) Daniel Ricciardo (C) and Nyck de Vries (R)
Formula 1’s silly season is in full swing, and with Zhou Guanyu’s contract extension at Alfa Romeo, there’s one less seat to play for. There are currently four unconfirmed seats for 2023 – One at Alpine, one at Haas, one at AlphaTauri and one at Williams, and they all have a few deserving and interesting candidates.
The open seat at Alpine came through a long and winding saga involving Fernando Alonso, Oscar Piastri, and McLaren. At the end of it, the team was short of two talented drivers and had a hole to fill in their team. The situations at Haas and Williams are pretty different. While Williams have announced Latifi’s departure, and a driver will obviously step up to replace him, it’s not all so clear-cut at Haas.
AlphaTauri may have an open seat if Gasly goes to Alpine. Guenther Steiner seems to be in no rush to confirm Mick Schumacher’s future, or even mask his interest elsewhere. He has publicly confirmed that he has talked to Daniel Ricciardo regarding the seat. There are 6 races left in the season, and there aren’t any public confirmations for either seat. So, what is the name of the game at each team?
Alpine F1 – Mick Schumacher
The seat at Alpine is likely the most desirable one. Even if the saga has hurt them, they are still an upper midfield team and look in a good place in the battle for fourth place with McLaren. The prime option for them is Pierre Gasly – who will partner with Esteban Ocon, and make it an all-French roster. However, the pair’s relationship is not known to be particularly easy.
If nothing happens with the Gasly deal, there are also two other clearly visible options – A return for Daniel Ricciardo is among them. But there is another option – one that Esteban Ocon has shown public support for – Mick Schumacher. There is no confirmation of Schumacher having a seat for 2023, and if this opportunity arises, he will surely take it with his eyes closed.
Also Read: Where do F1 drivers stay in Singapore?
Haas F1 – Daniel Ricciardo
Mick Schumacher’s seat is in a spot of bother. While the German has improved considerably this season, and especially so since Silverstone, where he scored his first points, he does not yet have a seat for next season and there is still no news of a contract extension or a departure.
Guenther Steiner has shown very public interest in Daniel Ricciardo and has contacted him. Ricciardo did not deny this either. Who could have thought at the start of the year (or in 2021) that the Australian may drive for Haas soon?
Also Read: Is Singapore GP a night race?
AlphaTauri or Williams F1 – Nyck de Vries
Nyck de Vries has had a very exciting couple of weeks. He drove an FP1 session for Aston Martin in Monza, and the next day he was replacing Alex Albon for the rest of the weekend. A very impressive P9 finish followed, and that meant he had more points in the championship than Nicholas Latifi.
Now, if Gasly goes to Alpine, de Vries is understood to be the favourite for his ‘former’ seat. But on the other hand, he is likely still in contention at Williams. If Logan Sargeant gets the required super license points, then he will have some competition for the seat. From no seat in Formula 1 for years to two potential destinations – things have certainly worked out for the Dutchman.
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Aniket Tripathi
(1002 Articles Published)