The number of available seats on the Formula 1 driver market has shrunk to three, with Alfa Romeo confirming Zhou Guanyu will stay with the team for 2023.
F1’s first Chinese driver has impressed in his debut campaign despite arriving in the sport with a reputation for being a pay driver, having jumped Formula 2 champion Oscar Piastri for promotion after finishing a distant third in the title race.
Scoring points on debut went some way to dispelling that reputation, and though he’s scored only twice more since then, he’s been getting increasingly close to established teammate Valtteri Bottas in the second half of the year, when the car has become less competitive relative to the rest of the field.
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It was enough to prove to the team that he warranted another season, in which Zhou says he’s looking forward to helping the team take another step forward into the midfield.
“There is more that I want to achieve in this sport and with the team, and the hard work we have put together since the start of the year is just the first step towards where we want to be next season,” he said.
“There is still a lot to learn, a lot to develop, but I am confident in our work: I am looking forward to the next chapter of our story together.”
Team principal Fred Vasseur said Zhou’s maturity sealed the deal.
“We knew he was quick, but the way he adapted to Formula 1 in such a short time has been one of the best surprises of our season.
“He is a very nice guy, everyone in the team likes both his personality and attitude. He has had the humility to ask questions and learn, from the engineers as well as Valtteri, and the intelligence to apply all the information he got to improve race after race.
“He will have this experience to draw on next season, and I am sure he will make another step forward as we continue to grow our team.”
Zhou’s signature, coming just days after Yuki Tsunoda renewed terms with AlphaTauri, reduces the available seats on the 2023 grid to just three, with one apiece left at Williams, Haas and Alpine.
Williams also announced over the weekend that it won’t re-sign Nicholas Latifi for 2023, confirming what had become an open secret in the paddock in the last month, but said it wasn’t in a position to name his replacement.
WHO ARE THE FAVOURITES FOR THE REMAINING SEATS?
Alpine
Alpine is the cork in the bottle as the best placed team in the constructors standings, and Enstone is taking its time making a decision.
It’s keen to avoid being forced into choosing a driver, having had two escape its grasp in August, and last week it ran a private test in Hungary for a series of drivers on its short list.
Its list of options was at 14 earlier this month, but Alpine CEO Laurent Rossi says it’s since been reduced to six drivers — though he was cryptic about who they were.
“Some are not yet completely free to make a switch and others may not quite fit in the picture,” he told RacingNews365. “By the end of September we should have a good idea on who we want to sign.
“There is no rush, and we are in a comfortable situation. In all modesty, we have the hottest seat in the paddock at the moment. We are the fourth team on the grid, so people are waiting for us before to make a decision.”
Top of the list is understood to be Pierre Gasly, who is seeking a release from his AlphaTauri contract to make his own way in the sport beyond Red Bull’s control.
AlphaTauri will only consent to the Frenchman’s departure if it can sign an alternative, having decided none of its junior drivers in Formula 2 are ready for promotion.
Nyck de Vries has told the Dutch media that he’s had a meeting with Red Bull motorsport adviser Helmut Marko about potentially joining the team, and Marko reportedly has a contract already drawn up for the Formula 2 and Formula E champion.
De Vries, Jack Doohan, Antonio Giovinazzi and Nico Hulkenberg are also thought to be on the driver short list behind Gasly.
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Williams
Williams was hoping to secure De Vries after his impressive stand-in drive in place of Alex Albon at the Italian Grand Prix, but its lowly place in the constructors standings means it’s almost certain to lose that fight.
The team is increasingly favouring the promotion of its F2 junior, Logan Sargeant, but needs to wait until the final round of the feeder series at Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in November to find out whether he’ll secure a superlicence.
If Sargeant isn’t eligible, Australian Jack Doohan is thought to be a possible alternative on a loan deal from Alpine. Doohan has enjoyed improving form in his first full-time F2 campaign and is currently fourth in the standings with three victories.
Haas
The American team has grown disillusioned with Mick Schumacher in his sophomore season despite a generally improved second half of the year, including his first two points-paying finishes.
Despite Guenther Steiner’s insistence that he’s yet to decide on the German’s fate, the team is reportedly already lining up alternatives.
Nico Hulkenberg is at the top of the list — Alpine has also reportedly spoken to him about a drive — despite not racing anywhere full-time since he was dropped by Renault at the end of 2019.
Ferrari reserve Antonio Giovinazzi is also in the frame.
Mick Schumacher and Daniel Ricciardo are likely to find themselves joining the retiring Sebastian Vettel and sacked Nicholas Latifi on the sidelines next season, with no teams currently considering them near the top of their short lists.
