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Reports: Red Bull & Alpine Drivers Linked With Alfa Romeo 2022 F1 Seat

Published 08/11/2021, 10:00 AM EDT

The summer break is upon us, so the teams have a lot of time to figure out their driver lineup for the 2022 season. While the incumbent drivers are out enjoying the sun and the time off, speculations can’t help but float around the F1 community. F1 journalist Lawrence Barretto shared his thoughts on the future of the Alfa Romeo team and who will honor the Swiss seat.

There is significant speculation about certain existing drivers and former favorites that may find their place with the team; names like Valtteri Bottas, Nico Hulkenberg, and some Ferrari stars in F2 have been heard so far. Barretto added some new, unheard contenders to the long list of possibilities to the Alfa seat.

Lawrence Barretto explored two possibilities: another F2 star, and a Formula 1 driver with a short-lived career.

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Barretto theorized that Guanyu Zhou, the runner-up in the F2 standings, could have a chance. A member of the Alpine driver academy, he tested his hand at an F1 car earlier this season in Austria. The Chinese driver stepped into Alonso’s A521, closing the FP1 session half a second behind Ocon. The Uni-Virtuosi driver has had a stellar 2021 season so far, just five points behind the championship leader.

So close to the top, will Zhou’s F1 dreams find reality in the Swiss-based team?

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A well-known personality, Alex Albon has been on the sidelines, waiting for an opportunity to get back on the horse. The Thai driver was once the second man at Red Bull; having failed to impress, Sergio Perez replaced his seat.

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Accompanying Max next season is far from the question, but can he rejoin with Alfa Romeo instead?

Barretto believes that after an impressing term as reserve driver, he’s likely to explore opportunities on the front line.

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Still, most teams are waiting for Mercedes to confirm their second seat. Depending on whether Valtteri stays or is replaced by Russell, the domino effect will speed up the decisions made by other teams. Till then, we wait.

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Shreya Sanjeev is an F1 author at EssentiallySports. Having attained a journalism degree from St Xavier's College, she finds comfort in the sound of her keyboard while typing and excitement in the sound of F1 cars speeding on a track. A street circuit and Daniel Ricciardo fan through and through, Shreya claims the 2018 Monaco GP to be one of her favorite races of all time.

Reports: Red Bull & Alpine Drivers Linked With Alfa Romeo 2022 F1 Seat

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