2023 grid: Our favorites for the 5 seats at stake

The week that has just passed hasn't really allowed us to see any more clearly regarding the 2023 grid, but it has still allowed us to move forward a little. Yuki Tsunoda has indeed been confirmed by AlphaTauri for one year, when Williams formalized its separation at the end of the season with Nicholas latifi, without specifying the identity of his replacement. Two months almost to the day of the end of the 2022 season in Abu Dhabi, there remain at least four seats to be filled, and even five if we count Alpha Tauri and its particular situation. If Red Bull, Ferrari, Mercedes, McLaren et Aston Martin have already secured their backs, Alpine, Haas, Alfa Romeo and Williams each still have one seat available.

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At Alpine, Gasly advantage, but…

As with everything that has affected the French team this year, it is a real soap opera that the staff ofAlpine offers us in its quest for a second pilot. As a reminder, while the extension of Fernando Alonso was the big priority for the A arrow, the Spaniard set sail for Silverstone where Aston Martin agreed to accede to all his requests. What followed was the soap opera Oscar piastri of which Drive to survive will be a pleasure to tell. In the rain, Alpine had announced the tenure, at the beginning of August, of his nugget, before the latter denied and won his case in front of the CRB to engage with McLaren. enstone recognized an internal legal error and immediately plunged into the search for the future teammate ofEsteban Ocon, which is under contract until 2024.

Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly will they be reunited at Alpine in 2023? ©DPPI/A. Vincent

Free, experienced and elder of the house, Daniel Ricciardo was considered for a time, before the A arrow changed his tune. The Australian no longer offered enough guarantee after two sluggish years at Mclaren, without forgetting that his departure from Enstone was experienced as a betrayal internally. Result, Alpine began looking for an experienced, charismatic driver capable of taking the team to the top. It didn't take long for her to understand that this suitable profile was that of Pierre Gasly, and that it was necessary to try to poach the Norman, who has a one-year commitment remaining with AlphaTauri, from now on. Helmut Marko acknowledged negotiations, and conditioned, among other things, a transfer of his French driver on finding a quality replacement (see below). The Austrian seems to have found the ideal candidate in Nyck De Vries, which opens the door wide to the arrival of Gasly at Alpine.

However, wishing not to repeat the same errors as this year, the A arrow has planned a plan B, even if the team's communications unit refutes any formal categorization of the avenues explored. At the start of the week, she tested Antonio Giovinazzi, Nyck De Vries and her academy driver Jack Doohan at the Hungaroring, confirming to AUTOhebdo that the three men were in the running for the seat. According to our information, it is still Pierre Gasly who holds the rope. The matter is however complex, since it remains to Alpine and for AlphaTauri to agree 100%, and for the Faenza team to also contractually complete its next driver. When one is announced, the domino effect should start! If negotiations with AlphaTauri fail, Nyck De Vries could be an alternative, as is Mick Schumacher, whose praises Esteban Ocon has continued to sing for several weeks. Regarding Jack Doohan, Alpine claims to believe enormously in him, to the point of not excluding a tenure from 2023 depending on the scenarios, but nevertheless favoring a long-term plan for the Aussie. 

At Alpha Tauri, an opening for De Vries

As explained above, the case is inextricably linked to that ofAlpine. In absolute terms, AlphaTauri has no seat to fill, since it has confirmed both Pierre Gasly and Yuki tsunoda. Only here, the potential departure of Gasly towards Alpine forces Franz Tost and Helmut Marko to think about an alternative solution. Initially, Doctor Marko was ready to release Pierre Gasly if he managed to secure the services of young Colton Herta (22 years old), who has the significant advantage of being American in these times of conquest of the west. The route was seriously considered, but the FIA's refusal to issue a superlicense exemption the Californian endorsed the pilot's chances IndyCar to join Faenza. Prepared to let Gasly go for service rendered (three podiums, including a victory in five seasons with Toro Rosso/AlphaTauri), Helmut Marko recently fell back on Nyck De Vries.

Nyck De Vries, soon to start F1 ? © Antonin Vincent / DPPI

As a reminder, the Dutchman made his Grand Prix debut at Monza, replacing Alex at short notice. Albon, victim of an attack of appendicitis. His entry into Q2 for his debut at the wheel of a modest Williams as well as his two points scored on Sunday in the race allow him to benefit from great odds on the market. First revealed by our German colleague from Motorsport-magazine.com, the interview between Nyck De Vries and Helmut Marko in Graz in Austria then directly was confirmed by the driver himself to AUTOhebdo.fr. The Batavian acknowledged discussions concerning a possible future collaboration with AlphaTauri, ensuring that he had however not signed anything.

In all likelihood, De Vries has a good chance of being Tsunoda's teammate in 2023. Among other things, he will have to break the commitments he had previously made for 2023 in other disciplines. According to our information, he was engaged with Toyota en WEC as a regular driver, while having an exit clause (which expires very soon) in the event of an offer from an F1 team. Rumors also report a possible deal already signed with Maserati in Formula E, without AUTOhebdo being able to confirm it. If the De Vries track were to close, it is difficult to imagine Marko turning to another profile and agreeing to release Gasly. 

At Alfa Romeo, Guanyu Zhou will be extended

This is the seat around which the suspense is the least. Author of a decent season which saw him enter the points from his first Grand Prix in Bahrain on March 20, Zhou Guangyu has not yet been confirmed alongside Valtteri Bottas. Even if he has only entered the points twice since Sakhir, near Hinwil, we are satisfied with the progress shown by the first Chinese in history at the start of a Grand Prix. It must be said that the competition for the steering wheel is not very strong. Theo Pourchaire, member of the Sauber Junior Team, was obviously observed very closely, but his failure in his quest for the title in Formula 2 did not work in his favor. According to our information, Zhou would indeed hold the rope to continue the adventure and its extension could even be announced this Tuesday.

Zhou Guanyu is well on his way to retaining his place. © Antonin Vincent / DPPI

At Williams, the American option?

On the Grove side, we officially know two things. First thatAlex Albon will continue with Williams for several years, and also that Nicholas Latifi will not continue the adventure. To replace the Canadian, three names seem to come out of the hat. Having made a sensational debut with the team in Italy two weeks ago, Nyck De Vries has quickly become the priority of the Williams technical and operational team, with team principal Jost Capito in the lead. However, the team flying the American flag, the investor Dorilton Capital would welcome the tenure of the Florida driver. Logan sargeant, who has also been a member of the Williams academy since the start of the season. 

Logan Sargeant, next American in F1? © Sebastiaan Rozendaal / Dutch Photo Agency / DPPI

In this regard, the Boca Raton native is even the big favorite for the seat, especially given the advanced nature of the negotiations between De Vries and AlphaTauri. With one condition (and not the least!): validation of its superlicence. Currently 3rd in Formula 2 but with only… twelve points ahead of 7th Liam Lawson, he will have to finish at least fifth to secure the precious ticket and thus validate a possible accession to the premier category. Potentially without a seat for 2023, Mick Schumacher could also be a candidate. 

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At Haas, the big unknown

Mick Schumacher, in fact, could therefore lose his seat at Haas. The German benefited in particular thanks to Ferrari, which had entrusted its Haas seat to its protégé after his F2 championship title (2020). Two years later, Mick's mixed results pushed her to notify him of the end of his collaboration, which places the son of the Red Baron in a delicate situation with a view to 2023. If he wishes to keep his place , he will probably have to convince Günther Steiner himself, and possibly find the support of sponsors to boost his candidacy file. It seems that it is in any case not the option currently favored by the American team. In the event that Ferrari retains primacy in the seat, the fight is expected to rage between the Scuderia's test driver and reserve driver. On the one hand, there is indeed Robert Shwartzman, reigning F2 vice-champion (2021), extremely fast driver and author of a big job in the Ferrari simulator this year.

Nico Hulkenberg is in talks about a return to F1. © DPPI

On the other, the experienced Antonio Giovinazzi, who lost his place at Alfa Romeo at the end of last year, and whose year in Formula E was frankly not a success. It is difficult to know who the choice of Maranello could turn to, as the sporting aspect has not always been the main decision-making prism of the Scuderia in recent years. However, there is no guarantee that Ferrari will have a say regarding the second Haas seat. The difficult year 2021 for the Bunbury structure, with the rookie duo Schumacher-mazepin, has somewhat made Gene Haas and Günther Steiner want to rely again on a rookie in the near future. The two men are indeed hoping for a driver capable of taking points whenever the car allows it. In this little game, Nico Hülkenberg, on the sidelines since 2020, could have a say and has seen his rating skyrocket in recent weeks. The idea of ​​a Hülkenberg-associationMagnussen would make you smile somewhat, after all the sweet words that the two men have exchanged since the start of their career! 

The current grid for 2023: 

Red Bulls: Max Verstappen, Sergio Perez
Ferrari: Charles Leclerc, Carlos Sainz
Mercedes: Lewis Hamilton, George Russell
Alpine: Esteban Ocon, ??? 
McLaren: Lando Norris, Oscar Piastri
Alfa Romeo: Valtteri Bottas, ???
Haas: Kevin Magnussen, ???
AlphaTauri: Yuki Tsunoda, Pierre Gasly (???)
Aston Martin: Fernando Alonso, Lance stroll
Williams: Alex Albon, ???

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