‘Silly season’ is always a key part of the Formula One season, it gives both fans and teams a chance to fantasise about potential line-ups and future results. The chaos usually begins with a big bang, with 2022 proving to be no different so far.
With five seats left to be filled, and plenty of interested drivers, it’s certain to be a hectic summer break; however, so much has already happened that it doesn’t even appear that the majority of the teams are going to enjoy the luxury of a month off.
In the last two weeks alone, ‘silly season’ has already seen a retirement, a shock switch, a contracted driver told he’s not needed and the threat of legal action.
So, just what has gone down so far in the 2022 ‘silly season’?
Sebastian Vettel announces retirement
Whilst it wasn’t the start of ‘silly season’, Sebastian Vettel‘s retirement announcement prior to the Hungarian Grand Prix has proved to be the big bang that has caused ‘silly season’ carnage. To the surprise of most, Vettel announced in Hungary that he’d be retiring from Formula 1 at the end of 2022, therefore leaving a seat to be filled at the Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant Formula One Team.
The German has decided that he wants to spend more time with his family, of which he has a wife and three young children. Vettel’s retirement will mean the sport is losing not only a four-time World Champion, but also an incredibly good person.
The thirty-five-year-old has been a keen activist in recent years, and has used his platform to promote climate change and support the LGBTQ+ community. Vettel has faced endless “hypocrite” calls, with the German speaking out on matters such as environmental change despite being paid by Aramco, a Saudi Arabian oil company. He’s used his position as a Formula 1 driver to rally support for areas that need it, whilst also making an appearance on BBC political programme ‘Question Time’.
Vettel even called himself a “hypocrite” on the programme, after the audience asked if he had any right to be discussing environmental change whilst playing a role in it being so bad. Lewis Hamilton is hopeful Vettel’s ability to speak out and show support for campaigns will have “inspired” the next generation of drivers.
The seven-time World Champion praised Vettel has one of the “greatest people” to have ever walked in the sport’s paddock, labelling him as a “legend”.
Hamilton said as quoted by RaceFans, “We talk about ‘legends’ in our sport – I don’t really love that name or that title, to be honest. I think he’s one of the greatest people that we’ve seen in this sport and we need more like him. I’m sad because I would have lost an ally inside the actual sport on the grid, but knowing that outside he’ll be doing great things and I hope that we will always remain friends and I hope that there’ll be other things that we get to do together outside.”
Vettel’s shock replacement
In Formula 1, it seems that there is no time to digest news, as within a matter of hours there is usually more topics being broken to the media. Vettel’s timing of his announcement regarding his retirement was somewhat placed into the background, with the focus quickly switching to the Grand Prix.
However, within a day of the Hungarian Grand Prix coming to a close, Vettel’s replacement had already been announced. It had been expected that Haas F1 Team driver Mick Schumacher would take his ‘mentors’ place, with the four-time World Champion having suggested to the Aston Martin bosses that his ‘student’ should take his spot.
This made his replacement seem even more bizarre, as the day after Max Verstappen claimed his eighth win of the season, Fernando Alonso announced that he’d signed a multi-year deal with Aston Martin to replace Vettel in 2023. This caused further shock and confusion throughout the paddock, with the Spaniard having been expected to re-sign for the Alpine F1 Team for 2023; Alpine Team Principal Otmar Szafnauer expected this as well!
Alonso’s move to Aston Martin is one of huge significance, as the deal is believed to be a two-year contract with the option for a third, meaning Alonso could be at the pinnacle of motorsport until he’s forty-four-years-old. The deal also means Alonso will surpass four-hundred Grand Prix starts, something he’ll be the first ever driver to achieve.
It’s rumoured that Alpine were only prepared to give Alonso a one-year plus one deal, with the Spaniard eventually going off to race for the French team in sportscars. Alonso in an official statement explained what made him sign for the British team.
“I have watched as the team has systematically attracted great people with winning pedigrees, and I have become aware of the huge commitment to new facilities and resources at Silverstone,” Alonso added.
“No one in Formula 1 today is demonstrating a greater vision and absolute commitment to winning, and that makes it a really exciting opportunity for me.”
The announcement has gone down particularly badly with Szafnauer, who told reporters that he only heard about Alonso signing for Aston Martin when he read the press release.
“So yes, the first confirmation I had was the press release. I did ask the question (to Alonso). And I was told: ‘No, no, I haven’t signed anything’. So I was a bit surprised.”
Whilst Alpine were disappointed with Alonso, they believed they had the perfect replacement already; however, the Spaniard leaving was just the beginning of an embarrassing few days for the Enstone-based team.
The Oscar Piastri saga
Just a day after Alonso announced he’d be leaving Alpine, the French team revealed who would be replacing the double World Champion. Alpine announced that 2021 Formula 2 World Champion and Reserve Driver Oscar Piastri would be promoted to race alongside Esteban Ocon from 2023 and beyond, or would he?
Whilst messages of congratulations were flying in on social media for the young Australian, Piastri made his own unbelievable statement. Piastri announced that he hadn’t signed a deal to race for Alpine in 2023, and that he crucially wouldn’t be doing so either!
This news came as a huge shock to Alpine, with the French side being left absolutely furious with their reserve driver. People quickly began to question why he would reject a seat at Alpine, who are currently fourth in the Constructors’ Championship.
It was rumoured that Piastri was set to be loaned to Williams Racing for 2023, had Alonso re-signed with the French team. It’s incredibly unlikely that the Aussie would choose a seat at Williams who are a backmarker most of the time, over the best midfield team on the grid, meaning he must have an agreement in place elsewhere.
That place, is reported to be the McLaren F1 Team, with Piastri’s manager ex-Formula 1 driver Mark Webber supposedly having struck a deal to see Piastri replace Daniel Ricciardo.
The Piastri/Alpine story is far from finished, with Alpine certain that the driver is contracted to them for next season. Szafnauer “expected more loyalty” from the Australian driver, who has left Alpine considering legal action.
“I expected more loyalty from Piastri,” Szafnauer told Spanish media outlet El Confidencial.
“He should have more loyalty to the team that has looked after him, that has taken him to the world championship and, above all, that for the last year has put him in a Formula 1 car to get him ready, to get him to know the circuits. I expected more loyalty from Oscar than he is showing.
“It’s not about Formula 1, it’s about integrity as a human being.”
With Alpine having invested millions into preparing Piastri for Formula 1, the French side are considering serious legal action should he not race for them in 2023, as outlined by Alpine’s team boss.
“We did seven independent tests with him and that is not cheap at all. We spent a lot, a lot of money on Piastri to prepare him for the future. And if that future is not given to us, it is logical and fair that we demand compensation.” Szafnauer continued saying to El Confidencial.
Even if Piastri has agreed a deal with McLaren, the British team are technically without a spare seat at the moment.
Daniel Ricciardo sets his price for McLaren departure
Daniel Ricciardo has been under immense pressure at McLaren for virtually the entire season, with the Honey Badger failing to deliver consistent results. Ricciardo is once again being constantly beaten by team-mate Lando Norris, who has scored considerably more points in the Drivers’ Championship.
Ricciardo is currently twelfth in the standings, and is arguably costing the team fourth in the Constructors’. The Woking-based team currently find themselves fifth in the standings, just four points behind Alpine. The Australian has faced public criticism from McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown during the season, who spoke to the media about how Ricciardo was failing to “meet expectations”.
Ricciardo’s seat at McLaren has been linked to a number of drivers, most notably Pato O’Ward and Colton Herta, both of which race in IndyCar. Piastri’s name is another for Ricciardo to add to the list of drivers who have been rumoured to be taking his seat. Despite constant non-points scoring finishes, Ricciardo has all the power in whether Piastri does indeed race for McLaren next season.
The thirty-three-year-old is under-contract at McLaren until the end of 2023, with the British team having no clause to end the deal early. It means Ricciardo can stay put at McLaren for another year if he wants, something he’s said recently that he’s intent on doing.
Ricciardo said as quoted by Sky Sports before the French Grand Prix, “I am committed to McLaren until the end of next year and am not walking away from the sport. Appreciate it hasn’t always been easy, but who wants it easy!
“I’m working my a** off with the team to make improvements and get the car right and back to the front where it belongs. I still want this more than ever.”
Despite wanting it “more than ever”, Ricciardo has reportedly informed McLaren of how much money he wants to step-away from the team, therefore allowing Piastri to race alongside Norris in 2023.
Ricciardo is demanding seventeen-million-pounds from McLaren, according to Australian publication Speedcafe; however, this price is set on if Ricciardo doesn’t get a seat in the championship for 2023 and has to sit next year out. Should he find a seat elsewhere, then the fee will be considerably lower. Ricciardo had been offered a seat at McLaren’s new Formula E team for next season, but declined the offer.
Should Ricciardo leave McLaren and remain in Formula 1, then his best hope is to return to Alpine, who are the only side that have a seat to be filled and could actually afford the Australian’s salary.
Joining Alpine may be tricky for Ricciardo, with the Enstone-based side, formerly known as Renault, having been unhappy with how he left the team in 2020. It’s believed that the management team since then has changed, but nevertheless this could be a factor that stops Alpine from signing him.
What about the other remaining seats?
As well as Alpine having one seat to be filled, Alfa Romeo F1 Team ORLEN, Scuderia AlphaTauri, Williams and Haas all have one seat to be taken. Alpine are believed to have fourteen drivers on their wishlist, should Piastri not race for them next season. Ricciardo is expected to be pretty high up on this list which has since been chalked down to just four, with the Australian being the favourite to take Alonso’s spot.
Alfa Romeo appear to be very content on keeping rookie Guanyu Zhou, whose contract expires at the end of the season. Zhou has performed well in his first season of Formula 1, and arguably deserves another season in the championship. It would be a surprise if he didn’t retain his seat, but this ‘silly season’ has proven that anything is possible. The only other option Alfa Romeo realistically have is Formula 2 driver Theo Pourchaire, who currently sits second in the Drivers’ Championship. Pourchaire is another exciting star of the future, and is the Swiss team’s protege.
AlphaTauri are another side who appear to be sorted on their driver line-up for 2023, Whilst Pierre Gasly already signed a contract extension during the season, team-mate Yuki Tsunoda is yet to be offered a new deal for next year. The Japanese driver needs a new deal to be offered to him for 2023, with his contract set to expire in just a few months. Tsunoda has continued to make costly errors this season, a trend that became familiar during his rookie year.
However, Tsunoda has proved that he does have talent, he just needs to deliver it more often. It’s expected that he’ll re-sign with AlphaTauri, especially after Jüri Vips was dropped by Red Bull. Vips had driven for Red Bull during Free Practice One at the Spanish Grand Prix, and was arguably the next Red Bull junior driver to break into Formula 1. The only other possibility for AlphaTauri would be Liam Lawson, who is driving for the team in Free Practice One at the Belgian Grand Prix, but this is unlikely. Tsunoda should be safe for 2023.
Williams are an interesting one, where there is lots to be decided. The team recently announced that Alex Albon would be remaining with the side, after the Thai driver signed a new deal with the British team. Nicholas Latifi is without a contract for 2023, and is expected to not be offered one. Apart from a remarkable performance at the British Grand Prix, where he made it to a wet Qualifying Three, he’s underperformed throughout the season.
With Piastri looking out of the picture now at Williams, Latifi’s seat looks set to be between Mercedes reserve driver Nyck de Vries, and Williams academy driver Logan Sargeant. De Vries recently drove for Williams in Free Practice One at the Spanish Grand Prix, with Sargeant set to test for Williams during the same session at the United States Grand Prix.
Both would be an excellent addition to race alongside Albon, with Sargeant being the perfect choice from a marketing side of things, whereas De Vries has more experience racing against the current Formula 1 field. With Sargeant being American, Williams would likely make incredible profits from the three races across the Atlantic in 2023, something which could tempt them to introduce the young driver. Sargeant is also unbelievably talented, and is currently third in the Formula 2 championship.
The final seat at Haas looks set to be Schumacher’s, with the American team being realistically his only chance of remaining in the paddock. Despite two huge crashes earlier in the year, Schumacher has found his form and managed to score his first ever World Championship point at the British Grand Prix, before backing this up with sixth-place at the Austrian Grand Prix.
Haas are believed to be waiting before deciding whether to retain the German or not, with the American side being very much in the driving seat. The only other potential option for Haas is Ferrari Driver Academy driver Robert Shwartzman, who drove for the team at the young drivers test at the end of last season. The 2021 Formula 2 runner-up will also be getting experience of the new cars this season, as Ferrari announced that Shwartzman will be used by the Italian’s in two Free Practice One sessions during the second half of the season.
Done deals
Following his victory at the Monaco Grand Prix, Sergio Pérez was offered a new two-year contract with Oracle Red Bull Racing, one that will see him alongside the reigning World Champion until the end of 2024.
Carlos Sainz Jr signed a similar deal with Scuderia Ferrari, with the Spaniard now set to remain with the Italian team until the end of 2024. Since both deals were announced, Sainz has been labelled by 1996 World Champion Damon Hill as Ferrari’s “team leader”, something the team deny. The deal comes following reports by RTL that Ferrari Team Principal Mattia Binotto doesn’t rate Schumacher, who was the likely candidate to replace either Ferrari driver when the time came to one of them leaving.
“I don’t want to speak about our Ferrari deal because otherwise they get upset!” Haas boss Guenther Steiner joked to Racer.
“At the end of the day I don’t know the real deal between Ferrari and Mick — and I don’t need to know. If he decides to go somewhere else, I cannot change it. Only Gene and me are involved in that process.”
Hamilton has also recently announced that he wants to extend his current deal beyond 2023, with the Brit telling Vanity Fair Magazine that he is “still loving driving”.
“I’ll be lying if I said that I hadn’t thought about extending,” Hamilton said.
“I’m still on the mission, I’m still loving driving, I’m still being challenged by it. So I don’t really feel like I have to give it up anytime soon.”
With so much uncertainty facing so many drivers, and the big question being on whether Piastri will be taken to court, the 2022 ‘silly season’ is looking set to be one of the most dramatic in the sport’s history.
What do you think?
