F1 silly season part 1 of 2!

So big question driver swaps? We all thought the 2020 driver market was and in all fairness it was kinda crazy but could 2021/2022 driver market be even more crazy? Who will go where and why? 

So at the end of 2021 many drivers will be out of contract. Whilst we know some lineups are confirmed such as Ferrari, McLaren and Aston Martin but other than that the is still many questions marks over who’ll fill the remaining 14 seats! Okay tell a lie it’s less than only 11 remaining seats in theory as Verstappen, Alonso and Mazepin all have contracts going beyond end of the season as well like Lelcerc, Sainz, Norris, Ricciardo, Vettel and Stroll but other than those 9 drivers the other 11 all are left seatless going into the driver market. So who will go where well hopefully today can make our seat predictions and let’s see how many we get right. 

Haas.

Haas well what we know? They are a loyal team as they stuck by Kevin Magnussen and Grosjean for number of seasons and Mazepin should 100% return for a second season in 2022 regardless of how good or poor his on or off track performances are. But who will partner him? In my opinion it’ll be no doubt Schumacher. Yep unless something goes wrong in Schumacher career I don’t see him not being there next year. I think Haas is kinda easy one as it should see Mick and Nikita return as teammates in 2022.

Williams.

So Williams, in my opinion the no doubt this will be last season with Russell at the team, he’s guaranteed a seat I believe elsewhere which we will get too in a moments time. And Latifi? Well I reckon he’ll be kept. If you compare him to his teammate okay yes he’s been outclassed every weekend but he’s also up against a mega star in Russell who I think sometimes overshadows what Latifi sometimes actually achieves.

Nicholas Latifi will be kept for 2022 and as team leader. But then who’s alongside him? Well I’m gonna back Jack Aitken. He’s a good young driver, already part of that Williams programme and was prime choice for Williams at the SakhirGP of 2020 in replacement of George Russell. I think Aitken will make that step up to F1 and will be Nicholas Latifi teammate for 2022 and beyond as this will make somewhat a exciting but experienced and mature driver lineup for the Williams team. 

Alfa Romeo! 

So let me get the obvious point out the way! It’s time to go for Kimi Raikkonen. In my opinion I don’t like saying he’s too old but he’s too old for F1. What he’s done in F1 during his career is incredible but I just think his time is up. Apart from driving maybe for his enjoyment what does he still got to give that’s my big problem and question for Kimi to answer? 

But Giovinnazi? Well I would of said in 2019 or start of 2020 he wasn’t good enough for F1 but now he’s matured and become a far better driver season upon season than he already was. 

But who to put alongside him? 

Personally I think Callum Ilott, would be best option here for Alfa Romeo. Callum again like Jack he’s young, talented and has that raw speed and I think it wouldn’t just be good him and Alfa but for all including the wider F1 community. Alfa Romeo need a new Leclerc and I sincerely believe Callum would bring that with a fresh outward looking into things plus for Giovinnazi he has the experience now I think to lead a team and not just that but the skill set and needs a new fresh challenge to push him even further.

So in conclusion then driver line ups for 2022. 

Williams will be Latifi and Aitken.

Haas will be Mazepin and Schumacher.

AlfaRomeo will be Giovinnazi and Ilott.

That’s our part 1 done, come back to read part 2 tomorrow where we go through the other teams from AlphaTauri, Alpine, RedBull and Mercedes and their potential driver line ups for 2022.