“We’ll know who’s driving by September”– Alfa Romeo gives itself the deadline of September to decide on the next year’s lineup.
Alfa Romeo hasn’t denied issuing an overhaul in their drivers’ lineup, with Kimi Raikkonen rumoured to retire and Antonio Giovinazzi losing his place to younger talent; Alfa Romeo is reportedly ready to do both.
Earlier this month, Alfa Romeo declared that Ferrari would have less say in hiring new drivers, and the team would be more independent. Amidst this, team principal Frederic Vasseur has claimed that the 2022 lineup would be announced by September.
“I don’t decide it alone,” Vasseur told Blick newspaper. “The whole company decides. We’ll know who’s driving by September. That is your interpretation. Everyone will have to wait until September.
“Our project makes the team interesting for all the drivers who are on the market.”
We can pull a Brawn
The new regulations give a major scope for F1 to see an upheaval in the order of teams’ ability and can make a minor team a world champion, and this is what Alfa Romeo aspires and gave Brawn’s example.
“In the first year, the differences between the teams may even be greater than now,” Vasseur warned. “But once stability takes hold, we have a better future with our infrastructure and wind tunnel. Remember, Brawn came out of nowhere in 2009 and won the title.”
Last year, despite the rumours of Raikkonen retiring spurred the headlines, the Finn race driver extended his contract with Alfa Romeo. At the same time, Giovinazzi was given another year for his brilliant improvement with the team.
But, this year, Alfa Romeo might get attracted to outside funding for a seat to a driver, whereas they are also linked with Valtteri Bottas, who may soon be laid off from his services in Mercedes to make way for George Russell.
