Alfa Romeo open to all-new driver line-up for F1 2022
Current drivers Kimi Raikkonen and Antonio Giovinazzi are out of contract at the end of the season.
At 41, Raikkonen’s performances continue to decline with the 2007 world champion failing to progress from Q1 in the last four consecutive races.
Giovinazzi has enjoyed a strong season, particularly in qualifying, but Alfa may decide to switch it up for 2022.
Should Mercedes drop Valtteri Bottas, he could be a potential option for the Swiss-based outfit, while Vasseur is a big admirer of Nico Hulkenberg, who continues to sit on the sidelines as Aston Martin’s reserve driver.
Given its long-lasting relationship with Ferrari, its junior drivers could prove to be exciting options with Callum Ilott or Robert Shwartzman - who sits second in the Formula 2 standings - potential choices.
Speaking ahead of this weekend’s British Grand Prix, Vasseur said that continuity isn’t a necessity for next year.
“It could be a point, but it’s not necessary,” Vasseur said. “You can say that it’s always good to have a kind of continuity into the team because at least you have a reference and you can compare with the feeling of the previous year. Let’s see. We’ll do the choice when it will be the right time to do it. We could keep the same line-up or we could change. Everything is open.
“And I think it’s also quite comfortable for the team to have everything open. It’s good for Antonio and it’s good for Kimi. I don’t have the feeling that to be under pressure is fundamentally bad. We need the pressure to perform. And I don’t want to be in an easy world.”
Vasseur confirmed that Giovinazzi is in the running for next year but he wants to see further improvements, especially on race day.
“He is on the list for sure, he is part of the family, he is improving,” Vasseur added. And he will be on the top of the list for next year. Now I want to see more improvement, more results in the race.
“Everybody’s under pressure. I am under pressure, the engineers are under pressure, the drivers, they have to be under pressure. It’s a world of pressure.”
Vasseur says Raikkonen’s future with the team is an “open discussion” and the top teams making decisions on their line ups will have a knock-on effect for teams like Alfa Romeo.
“I think it’s good for us to keep everybody under pressure,” Vasseur explained. “And we will see how the market is evolving.
“The system will fill the places at the top. It means that Mercedes has to take a decision and then Red Bull has to take a decision and like a domino, at one stage we will have some opportunities on the table and we’ll take a decision at this stage.”
