Alfa Romeo Racing’s Formula 1 ties with Scuderia Ferrari will not end despite the fact that Italian driver Antonio Giovinazzi has lost his F1 seat for next season, when China’s Guanyu Zhou will drive for Alfa Romeo, Team Principal Frederic Vasseur explained. Ferrari provide Alfa’s engines and Antonio Giovinazzi came through the Italian team’s academy.
The Italian driver leaving Alfa means that the Swiss-based team will have no Ferrari-backed driver for the first time in five years: back in 2017, Sweden’s Marcus Ericsson and Germany’s Pascal Wehrlein formed their line-up.
Alfa, the team who were Sauber before the rebranding, gave current Scuderia Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc the chance to make his Formula One debut in 2018.
Finland’s Kimi Raikkonen, the 2007 world champion with Ferrari, has confirmed he is retiring after the 2021 F1 season, moved to the Maranello team in 2019, as Kimi returned to the team he started his F1 career with back in 2001 – in a swap with Charles Leclerc.
Kimi Raikkonen is being replaced by compatriot Valtteri Bottas from Mercedes, while Zhou has come through Renault-owned Alpine’s academy.
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“When we built up the relationship it was a clear situation, we had Charles who was already doing some FP1 (Friday free practice sessions) and then Antonio was in the pipeline.” – Frederic Vasseur explained – “But to block one seat for an academy, it doesn’t matter which, is a bit unrealistic because an academy can’t have a good driver each year. It would even make no sense for them at the end,” he added.
Frederic Vasseur confirmed that there is a general misunderstanding that the engine supply was linked to the team’s driver choice but there was no obligation there. He said he remained “more than open” to future collaboration with Ferrari on young drivers and would discuss the matter likely this weekend at the Qatar Grand Prix.
Mick Schumacher, the son of seven times champion Michael, is in his rookie season with Ferrari-powered Haas and staying there for 2022: “We are very keen to develop this side of the partnership but it’s not an obligation at all,” said Vasseur.
Antonio Giovinazzi has raced for Alfa Romeo during the last three season, with a total of 59 races for the Swiss team, scoring a best result of fifth in Brazil in 2019. His departure leaves Formula One without an Italian driver.
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