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  • 2025 Formula 1 Grid Overview

    2025 Formula 1 Grid Overview

    The 20-car grid for the 2025 FIA Formula 1 World Championship season is officially set. It comes nearly two weeks after the conclusion of a competitive 2024 season that featured seven different competitors achieving at least one Grand Prix victory throughout the 24-race schedule, five teams finishing within 77 points of one another in the midfield region and a season-ending split celebration of the driver’s and constructor’s titles between two championship-winning teams.

    Within the 20-car grid for the 2025 season, three-tenths of the field will feature competitors who are set to embark on maiden full-time F1 campaigns. In addition, half of the entries will be occupied by new names as a bevy of familiar faces are set to embark on new beginnings with new teams to call home for next season. Lastly, all but two of the current 10 teams on the grid will feature at least one new name to their driver roster when a new season of racing commences.

    McLaren

    The team that currently reigns supreme among the remaining nine is the McLaren Formula 1 Team, which will retain its current driver lineup featuring Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri for a second consecutive season. Dubbed the second-best organization in F1, the papaya-colored team capped off the 2024 season as the top organization on the grid as it achieved its ninth constructor’s championship by 14 points over Ferrari. The championship, which was a first for McLaren since 1998, comes amid career-best years for Norris and Piastri, both of whom notched multiple Grand Prix victories throughout the season and notched a combined 666 points despite Norris falling short of claiming the driver’s championship by 63 points.

    Norris, a native of Bristol, England, who is coming off his sixth consecutive season as a McLaren F1 competitor, notched his maiden four Grand Prix victories that commenced by winning at Miami in May before he proceeded to win at the Netherlands in August, Singapore in September and the season-finale Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in December. He also recorded career-high stats in poles (eight), podiums (13), laps led (271), average-finishing result (4.3) and points (374). Meanwhile, teammate Piastri, a native of Melbourne, Australia, is coming off a second F1 campaign with McLaren as he notched his maiden two Grand Prix victories, where the first occurred at Hungary in July before he won at Azerbaijan nearly two months later. Piastri would also rack up eight podiums, an average-finishing result of 5.1, 292 points and a fourth-place result in the final driver’s standings.

    As for the future, Norris inked a multi-year contract extension with McLaren this past January while Piastri inked a multi-year contract extension in September 2023 that would keep him at the team through the 2026 season. Both enter the 2025 season with goals to defend McLaren’s constructor’s title and deliver the first driver’s championship for the team since 2008.

    Ferrari

    Despite ending up one points position shy of claiming a record 17th constructor’s title with a combined points tally of 652, the Scuderia Ferrari HP team scored a big silly season victory before the start of the 2024 season by acquiring seven-time champion Sir Lewis Hamilton to its driver roster for the 2025 season. Hamilton, a native of Stevenage, England, who initially signed a two-year contract extension to remain at the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team through the 2025 season in August 2023, ended up exercising a break clause in his contract by signing up for Ferrari on a multi-year basis this past February, which made the 2024 season his final campaign with Mercedes.

    Hamilton’s move to Ferrari will mark his maiden F1 campaign with a team that is not affiliated with Mercedes. This past season also marked Hamilton’s conclusion of a 12-year dynasty with Mercedes, a team where Hamilton won six of his record-tying seven driver’s championships and 84 of his current 105 Grand Prix race victories, including two in 2024 at Silverstone and Belgium. The pair of victories this past season also marked Hamilton’s first trips to the top of the podium since 2021. Amid the victories, he ended up in seventh place in the 2024 standings with 223 points, five podiums and an average-finishing result of 7.0.

    For the 2025 season, Hamilton, who continues his pursuit for a record eighth championship, will compete alongside new teammate Charles Leclerc, the latter of whom has been competing with the prancing horse organization since 2019 and inked a contract extension this past January to remain with the team beyond the 2024 season. This past season generated a strong season for Leclerc, a native of Monte Carlo who notched three Grand Prix victories (Monaco, Monza and Austin), a career-high 13 podiums and career-best average-finishing result of 4.5, which was enough to settle in third place in the driver’s standings with a career-high 356 points despite falling short of his maiden F1 title by 81 points. Both Hamilton and Leclerc will attempt to deliver the first driver’s and constructor’s titles for Ferrari since the 2007 and 2008 seasons, respectively, in 2025.

    Red Bull Racing

    The 2024 F1 season generated mixed results for Oracle Red Bull Racing, an organization that swept both the driver’s and constructor’s championships over the previous three seasons and had won all but one of the 22-race schedule in 2023. The good news for the organization was that Max Verstappen, a native of Hasselt, Belgium, managed to defend his series’ title for a fourth consecutive season as he also notched a season-high nine Grand Prix victories. Verstappen’s victories throughout this past season occurred at Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Japan, China, Italy’s Emilia Romagna, Canada, Spain, São Paulo and Qatar. Amid Verstappen’s fourth consecutive championship-winning season, the organization dropped to third place in the final constructor’s standings and was unable to reclaim the team title by 77 points.

    With a combined constructor points total of 589, 437 of the points were contributed by Verstappen, the latter of whom also notched a total of 14 podiums, while the remaining 152 were recorded by Sergio “Checo” Perez. Compared to his previous three seasons at Red Bull, Perez, a native of Guadalajara, Mexico, endured a difficult 2024 season where he went winless for the first time since 2019, finished on the podium four times and recorded an average-finishing result of 9.6, the latter category of which was his lowest since 2019. Perez settled in eighth place in the driver’s standings after being outscored by teammate Verstappen and after he struggling to keep pace to run up front for the majority of the season.

    Despite inking a two-year extension to remain at Red Bull this past June, Perez would depart the organization on December 18. Currently, Perez, who first competed in F1 in 2011 and is the winningest Mexican competitor in F1 with six through 281 career starts, remains uncertain of his racing plans for next season. A day after Perez’s exit, Red Bull announced the promotion of Liam Lawson to partner alongside Verstappen, the latter of whom is under contract with the team through 2028. Lawson, a native of Hastings, New Zealand, who spent the previous three seasons as a reserve driver for both Red Bull Racing and the Visa Cash App Racing Bulls F1 Team, also spent the previous two making a total of 11 starts for the latter organization, where he has notched three ninth-place results. He will become the 13th competitor overall to compete in an F1 Grand Prix event while representing Red Bull as both he and Verstappen strive to return the team atop the standings in both the driver’s and constructor’s categories.

    Mercedes

    With the departure of Sir Lewis Hamilton, the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team has elevated newcomer Andrea Kimi Antonelli to pilot Hamilton’s Mercedes entry for the 2025 season. Antonelli, a former champion in Italian F4 and Formula Regional’s European and Middle East series from Bologna, Italy, spent this past season competing in Formula 2 for Prema Racing, where he notched two victories and finished in sixth place in the standings. Having first joined Mercedes’ Junior Team in 2019 upon winning multiple events and titles in karts, Antonelli also participated in his first pair of free practice sessions in F1 at Italy and Mexico City midway into the 2024 season in preparation for the 2025 season, where he is set to become the sixth competitor to compete for Mercedes since the brand returned as a constructor in 2010 and the first Italian Grand Prix competitor since Antonio Giovinazzi competed in 2021.

    For his maiden F1 campaign, Antonelli will compete alongside George Russell, a native of King’s Lynn, England, who first joined Mercedes in 2022 and whose contract with the Silver Arrows organization runs through the conclusion of the 2025 season. After achieving his maiden Grand Prix victory at São Paulo in late 2022 before going winless in 2023 along with the Mercedes team, Russell rebounded by notching two Grand Prix victories in 2024 (Austria in June and Las Vegas in November). To go along with four podiums, four poles, a career-best average-finishing result of 5.6 and a career-high 138 laps led, he settled in sixth place in this past season’s standings with 245 points. He also contributed to Mercedes settling in fourth place in last year’s constructor’s standings with 468 points overall as the organization strives to return atop the standings in both the driver’s and constructor’s regions since the early years of the 2020’s era.

    Aston Martin Aramco

    For a third consecutive season, the Aston Martin Aramco F1 Team will retain its current driver roster that consists of Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll, both of whom notched a combined 94 points and contributed to the team settling in fifth place in the constructor’s standings for a second consecutive season.

    Alonso, a two-time F1 champion from Oviedo, Spain, is coming off his 21st season in competition, where he recorded an average-finishing result of 10.2, 70 points and settled in ninth place in the final standings. Despite recording zero podiums in 2024 compared to eight during his first season with Aston Martin in 2023 that was capped off with a fourth-place result in the driver’s standings, Alonso scratched his name off of the silly season picture by inking a multi-year contract extension with Aston Martin this past April that would keep him with the team through the 2026 season. Two months later, Stroll, a native of Montreal, Canada, who has been competing with the organization since 2019, inked a contract extension for himself to remain with the team through the 2026 season. Like teammate Alonso, Stroll is coming off a quiet 2024 campaign where he recorded an average-finishing result of 13.1 and 24 points, which relegated him to 13th place in the 2024 standings a year after ending up in 10th place.

    With Aston Martin recruiting Red Bull’s longtime global chief technical officer and designer Adrian Newey as its new managing technical partner, both Alonso and Stroll also continue to pursue the first championship between the driver’s and constructor’s categories for the team, which returned Aston Martin as a branded team in 2021 following a six decade-plus absence.

    Alpine

    After spending a majority of the 2024 season mired with mixed on-track results and multiple changes towards the team’s technical and management front while also hovering towards the bottom of the constructor’s standings, the BWT Alpine F1 Team rallied over the final four events on the schedule and capped off the season with momentum by muscling up to sixth place with 65 points achieved.

    The competitor who nailed the final set of points for Alpine to claim sixth place in the standings during the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix was Pierre Gasly, who also managed to overtake Nico Hülkenberg for 10th place in the final driver’s standings by a single point. Gasly, a native of Rouen, France, who transitioned to Alpine from the Red Bull team in 2023, racked up an average-finishing result of 12.9 and he recorded 42 points. His lone highlight of the season was notching his fifth career podium during the São Paulo Grand Prix in November by finishing in third place and sharing the podium with his teammate and childhood rival Esteban Ocon. Like Gasly, Ocon’s lone highlight of the season was finishing in the runner-up position at São Paulo, which marked his fourth career podium result and first since finishing in third place during the 2023 Monaco Grand Prix. Amid Ocon’s podium, he only racked up 23 points and notched an average-finishing result of 13.7, which placed him in 14th place in the final driver’s standings.

    Compared to Gasly, Ocon, a native of Évreux, France, was not retained by Alpine for the 2025 season and he ended up being replaced by newcomer Jack Doohan during the finale in Abu Dhabi. Doohan, a native of Gold Coast, Australia, who spent the previous two seasons as Alpine’s reserve driver and notched six victories in Formula 2, is set to embark in his maiden campaign in F1 competition in 2025 as he will partner with Gasly, the latter of whom inked a multi-year contract extension this past June to remain at Alpine beyond 2025. Both Doohan and Gasly enter next season with equal attempts to deliver the first driver’s and constructor’s titles for Alpine, a team that was rebranded from Renault since 2021.

    Haas

    After plummeting to dead last in the 2023 constructor’s standings, the MoneyGram Haas F1 Team rallied by climbing three spots to seventh place in this year’s constructor’s standings and racking up its second-highest accumulated points to a season at 58 following a yearlong battle to nearly crack the top-six mark.

    The competitor who led the charge to Haas’ on-track success in 2024 was Nico Hülkenberg, who racked up 32 more points than his previous season at 41 and jumped five spots in the final driver’s standings to 11th place. The Emmerich am Rhein, Germany, native also recorded an average-finishing result of 11.6 and two season-best results of sixth-place runs in back-to-back Grand Prix events between Austria and Silverstone. Kevin Magnussen, Hülkenberg’s teammate from Roskilde, Denmark, who is coming off his sixth season as a Haas F1 competitor, managed to withstand a season where he was absent for two Grand Prix events (one for being suspended from Azerbaijan and another for being ill at Sao Paulo) to notch an average-finishing result of 13.4 and a total of 16 points, which was enough to climb up to 15th place in the standings and be four spots better from his previous season. Magnussen’s best result in 2024 was seventh, which occurred at Mexico City in late October.

    Amid a successful 2024 season, Hülkenberg and Magnussen have both parted ways with Haas as the former transitions to Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber while the latter joins BMW Motorsport to pilot a M Hybrid V8 entry in 2025. The competitors who will represent Haas for next season are Oliver Bearman and Esteban Ocon. Bearman, a native of Havering, England, is promoted to a maiden F1 campaign after he spent this past season competing in Formula 2 for Prema Racing and serving as a reserve competitor for both Haas and Ferrari, the latter of which he notched an impressive seventh place during the Saudi Arabia Grand Prix while substituting for Carlos Sainz. Meanwhile, Ocon joins Haas following a five-year campaign at Alpine.

    Visa Cash App Racing Bulls

    With a rebranded identity and a midseason swap of a veteran notable for the return of an eventual Red Bull-promoted driver, the Visa Cash App RB F1 Team, which is set to be labeled Racing Bulls in 2025, capped off the 2024 F1 season in eighth place in the constructor’s standings for a second consecutive season.

    The result comes with 46 points recorded as the organization spent the 2024 season flirting within the midfield section of the standings and challenging for sixth place in the constructor’s category. The competitor who led the team’s charge was Yuki Tsunoda, who nearly doubled his recorded points from his previous season at 30, notched a career-high nine top-10 results and claimed a new points result in the standings from 14th to 12th. Tsunoda, a native of Sagamihara, Japan, notched a season-best trio of seventh-place results in 2024, which occurred in Australia, Miami and São Paulo.

    Tsunoda spent the first 18 Grand Prixs competing alongside veteran Daniel Ricciardo, the latter of whom returned to the grid for seven events with Racing Bulls after initially losing his full-time seat at McLaren following the 2022 season. Ricciardo, an eight-time Grand Prix winner from Perth, Australia, who returned to the Red Bull team in 2023, spent the first 18-scheduled events recording three top-10 results and with goals of being promoted back up to Red Bull from Racing Bulls. After Ricciardo was released by the team following the Singapore Grand Prix and amid a difficult 2024 campaign where he struggled to keep pace with Tsunoda, Liam Lawson assumed Ricciardo’s seat at Racing Bulls as he campaigned in the remaining six events on the schedule. During the six-race stretch, he notched two ninth-place results, which was enough for him to be promoted to Red Bull over Tsunoda.

    In 2025, Visa Cash App Racing Bull’s lineup will consist of Tsunoda and Isack Hadjar, the latter of whom is Red Bull’s reserve competitor and is coming off a runner-up result in the final standings to the 2024 Formula 2 season while competing for Campos Racing. Next season is set to mark Hadjar’s maiden campaign in F1 competition as both he and Tsunoda strive to make Racing Bulls competitive alongside Red Bull and place the team to its first top-five result or higher in the constructor’s standings.

    Williams

    Coming off a strong 2023 season, the Williams Racing organization dropped two spots to ninth place in the 2024 final constructor’s standings amid a midseason swap of competitors and a final combined points tally of 17. Like the previous two seasons, the team’s front-runner was Alexander Albon, a Thailand competitor who settled in 16th place in the final driver’s standings in a season mired with only 12 recorded points and an average-finishing result of 14.5. Albon, who is coming off his third consecutive season driving for Williams, also recorded the team’s best finish of the season in seventh place, which occurred during the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in September.

    Logan Sargeant, the team’s second competitor from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, spent 14 of the first 15-scheduled events competing as a Williams competitor, where he racked up a season-best 11th-place result at Silverstone Circuit in July. Sargeant was then replaced by Franco Colapinto, a Formula 2 competitor for MP Motorsport and a Williams Driver Academy competitor from Pilar, Argentina, prior to September and for the remaining nine-scheduled events. The change for Colapinto occurred as Sargeant had racked up an average-finishing result of 17.1 with no points recorded and was involved in two accidents in Japan and the Netherlands that cost the team financially in damages. During his nine-race stint, Colapinto finished in the top 10 twice and notched a season-best eighth place on the track in Azerbaijan, which was enough to claim 19th place in the driver’s standings with five points.

    In 2025, the organization welcomes Carlos Sainz, a native of Madrid, Spain, who departed Ferrari after four seasons and despite recording his maiden four Grand Prix victories over the previous three seasons, including two this season at Australia in March and at Mexico in October. The pair of victories were enough for Sainz to settle in fifth place in the 2024 driver’s standings with a career-best average-finishing result of 5.7 and career-high stats in points accumulated (290) and podiums (nine). Sainz is set to compete alongside Albon, the latter of whom inked a multi-year contract extension in May to remain at Williams through 2027, as both attempt to contend for the team’s first driver’s and constructor’s titles since 1997. Amid Sainz’s first entrance as a Williams competitor, Colapinto is left without an F1 ride for the 2025 season.

    Kick Sauber

    Rounding out the field is Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber that will feature a complete overhaul of its driver lineup in 2025. This past season, the team featured Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu as its drivers for a third consecutive season. The team’s lone highlight was notching four points during the Qatar Grand Prix that was made by Guanyu, who finished in eighth place. The points accumulated by Guanyu were enough for the Shanghai native to climb up to 20th place in the final driver’s standings. Meanwhile, Bottas, who first joined Kick Saber in 2022 following a seven-year campaign at Mercedes, concluded a season with no points for the first time in his F1 career. With a career-low average-finishing result of 15.8 and finishing no higher than 11th, which occurred at Qatar, Bottas settled in 22nd place in the 2024 driver’s standings.

    In 2025, the team’s driver lineup will consist of Nico Hülkenberg, who departed Haas after two seasons, and Gabriel Bortoleto, the latter of whom achieved both the 2024 Formula 2 championship and the 2023 Formula 3 championship. While Bottas returns to Mercedes as a reserve competitor, Gyanyu is left with uncertainties for next season.

    Like the previous season, the 2025 FIA Formula One World Championship season will feature 24 Grand Prix events that span across 21 countries and five continents in 10 months. The 2025 season commences with the Australian Grand Prix at Albert Park Circuit in Melbourne, Australia, that will occur on March 16.

  • Ricciardo replaces Nyck de Vries at AlphaTauri for the remainder of 2023 F1 season

    Ricciardo replaces Nyck de Vries at AlphaTauri for the remainder of 2023 F1 season

    A major change has been made within Scuderia AlphaTauri’s driver lineup as Daniel Ricciardo will be returning to the Formula One grid to replace Nyck de Vries with immediate effect for the remainder of the 2023 season.

    The news comes as the 34-year-old Ricciardo from Perth, Australia, participated in a Pirelli tyre test at Silverstone Circuit, where he piloted Red Bull Racing’s RB19 car. It also comes amid months of rumors swirling around De Vries being replaced midway into this season amid his ongoing struggles in on-track performance with AlphaTauri.

    De Vries, a 28-year-old Dutchman from Uitwellingerga, Netherlands, who won the 2020-21 Formula E World Championship and the 2019 Formula 2 title, made his F1 debut during the 2022 Italian Grand Prix, where he replaced Alex Albon at Williams Racing after Albon was ruled out for the event due to suffering appendicitis. After notching an impressive ninth-place finish and recording points in his F1 debut, he was selected to drive for AlphaTauri for this season.

    Since joinng AlphaTauri, however, De Vries has finished no higher than 12th, which occurred during the Monaco Grand Prix in May, and has recorded an average-finishing result of 15.9 during the first 10 Grand Prix scheduled events. He is currently ranked at the bottom of the driver’s standings (20th) with no points amid a struggling season for AlphaTauri, which is also ranked at the bottom of the constructor’s standings (10th) with two points, both of which have been made by the team’s other driver, Yuki Tsunoda.

    With De Vries out of the grid, Ricciardo not only makes a sensational return to the grid to compete alongside Tsunoda, but he reunites with AlphaTauri, a team that the veteran campaigned in his maiden two F1 seasons in 2012-13 after serving as the team’s test and reserve competitor during the previous season. Ricciardo would then join Red Bull Racing for the 2014 season, where he would rack up seven victories, 956 points and two third-place results in the driver’s standings (2014 & 2016) through 2018.

    Ricciardo then made the surprising move to Renault, rebranded to Alpine, for the 2019 season, where he competed at for two seasons, before joining McLaren F1 Team in 2021. He achieved his latest F1 triumph during the 2021 Italian Grand Prix amid a one-two finish with Lando Norris, but would part ways from McLaren at the conclusion of the 2022 season. Since then, he rejoined Red Bull Racing as the team’s third competitor while participating in PR activities, simulator/factor work and race weekends to support the team’s current two competitors, two-time reigning F1 champion Max Verstappen and veteran Sergio Perez.

    Through a total of 233 starts in F1 competition, Ricciardo has achieved eight victories, three poles, 32 podiums, 339 laps led, 1,274 points and an average-finishing result of 9.8.

    Following the announcement of his return to F1 competition, Ricciardo stated: “I’m stoked to be back on track with the Red Bull family!”

    Ricciardo’s move is one that pleases Franz Tost, Team Principal of AlphaTauri, as the team aims to draw itself out of the bottom of the constructor’s standings. Currently, AlphaTauri, a team that is set to rebrand in 2024, trails Alfa Romeo by seven points with both Williams and Haas only nine points ahead amid a tight mid-season battle.

    “I’m very pleased to welcome Daniel back into the team,” Franz Tost, Scuderia AlphaTauri Team Principal, said. “There’s no doubt about his driving skills, and he already knows many of us, so his integration will be easy and straight forward. The team will also profit a lot from his experience, as he is an eight-time Formula 1 Grand Prix winner. I would like to thank Nyck for his valuable contribution during his time with Scuderia AlphaTauri and I wish him all the best for the future.”

    With Ricciardo back on the F1 grid, he will make his first start of the 2023 season at Hungaroring for the Hungarian Grand Prix, which will occur on July 23.

  • Alpine recruits Gasly; AlphaTauri signs De Vries for 2023 F1 season

    Alpine recruits Gasly; AlphaTauri signs De Vries for 2023 F1 season

    BWT Alpine F1 Team and Scuderia AlphaTauri completed their driver lineup for the 2023 FIA Formula One World Championship season in a move that will feature a notable calling a new team home and another set to embark in his inaugural full-time stint in the highest class of international motorsports competition.

    For Alpine, the team will be featuring an all-French driver lineup for the upcoming season as Pierre Gasly will be departing AlphaTauri to occupy the final vacant seat at the French organization on a multi-year basis, where he will be competing alongside Esteban Ocon. The competitor who will be taking over Gasly’s ride at AlphaTauri will be Nyck de Vries, a newcomer who will be competing alongside Yuki Tsunoda.

    The news of Gasly’s transition to Alpine comes nearly four months after the 26-year-old native from Rouen, France, was initially set to remain at AlphaTauri for the 2023 season. When two-time F1 champion Fernando Alonso announced in August that he will be departing Alpine to join Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant F1 Team for the upcoming season, an opportunity for Alpine to recruit Gasly for the 2023 season had since been brewing before becoming official as the 2022 season nears its conclusion.

    For Gasly, the 2022 Grand Prix season will mark the end of a nine-year journey as a Red Bull-affiliated competitor that commenced when he joined the Red Bull Junior Team for the 2014 season. Three years later, he made his Grand Prix debut at Malaysia’s Sepang International Circuit before becoming a full-time F1 competitor for AlphaTauri (known previously at Toro Rosso) in 2018. The following season, he was promoted to Red Bull Racing, but ended up being demoted to Toro Rosso midway into the season. Despite his demotion, he went on to achieve his maiden podium after finishing second at Brazil’s Interlagos Circuit. In 2020, where Toro Rosso was rebranded to AlphaTauri, Gasly achieved his maiden Grand Prix victory at Italy’s Monza Circuit following a late battle with Carlos Sainz Jr. With his victory, he became the first French competitor in 24 years to win in F1 and he recorded the second career victory for AlphaTauri. He has since notched his third career podium after finishing third at Azerbaijan’s Baku City Circuit in 2021.

    Through 104 career starts in F1 (five full-time seasons), Gasly has achieved one victory, three podiums, 332 points, 26 laps led and an average-finishing result of 10.9. His best result in an F1 standings is seventh in 2019 while his best accumulated points in a season is 110 in 2021. He is currently ranked in 13th place in this year’s drivers’ standings with 23 points while AlphaTauri is ranked in a tie with Haas for eighth place in the constructors’ standings with 34 points.

    “I am delighted to join the Alpine family and begin this new chapter in my Formula 1 career,” Gasly said. “Driving for a team that has French roots is something very special. I know the strengths of Alpine having raced against them over the past couple of years and, clearly, their progress and ambition is very impressive. I wish to thank Red Bull as this marks the end of our nine-year journey together. It is thanks to their trust and support that I became a Formula 1 driver, and what we’ve achieved with Scuderia AlphaTauri over the last years has been very special. Looking ahead, I want to give the maximum and utilise all my experience to fight for podiums and ultimately contribute to Alpine’s fight for championships in the future.”

    “I’m very happy that Pierre will be joining the team for 2023 and beyond,” Otmar Szafnauer, Team Principal of Alpine, added. “He is already a proven talent within Formula 1, and we are looking forward to harnessing that within the team. Our team has several objectives for the coming seasons and I firmly believe our driver line-up is a great reflection of the team’s high ambitions. I trust Pierre and Esteban can, together, motivate the team to continue its progress towards these goals. We would also like to thank Red Bull for agreeing the terms to allow Pierre to take this step.”

    Meanwhile, De Vries, a 27-year-old native from Uitwellingerga, Netherlands, had spent the majority of this season as a test and reserve competitor for the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team while also participating in FP1 (free practice session) outings for Mercedes, Aston Martin and Williams Racing. He made his Grand Prix debut at Monza Circuit in September as an interim competitor, where he replaced Alex Albon in one of Williams’ two seats after Albon developed appendicitis prior to the event. During the main event, De Vries garnered heavy attention within the F1 garage when he notched an impressive ninth-place result and achieved his maiden two points in F1 competition. Upon his strong debut in Italy, the talks of de Vries potentially moving up to full-time F1 competition commenced.

    Prior to his F1 debut, De Vries won the 2019 Formula 2 Championship along with the 2020-21 Formula E World Championship. He is also a two-time Karting World Champion, having won in back-to-back seasons (2010 and 2011), and the 2014 Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0

    “I’m extremely excited to be joining Scuderia AlphaTauri for 2023 and I want to thank both Red Bull and the team for giving me the opportunity to drive in F1,” De Vries said. “After Formula 2, I took a slightly different path with motorsport, but F1 has always been my dream and I’m grateful to be able to fulfill it. I’ve had a lot of chances to experience the 2022 car this year and I think that has put me in a great position for the upcoming season, I hope this has helped to prepare me for what is to come. Having spent most of my teenage years in Italy for karting, I’ve always felt at home there, so for me it’s great to be joining an Italian team, that already has a real family feel, and I’m looking forward to meeting everyone and to start to build our relationship before the next season.”

    “Scuderia AlphaTauri had a very successful time with Pierre,” Franz Tost, Team Principal of AlphaTauri, added. “We will never forget his fantastic victory in Monza and his podium finishes in Brazil and Azerbaijan. I want to thank Pierre for all the effort he’s put into the team in the last years, and I wish him all the best for his future. Now, we are pleased to start a new chapter with Nyck, who’s very much welcome at Scuderia AlphaTauri. He is a very high skilled driver, as he won in all the categories he competed in, with many races and championships under his belt. His last big success was winning the Formula E World Championship, and this is clear evidence that he is a very competitive driver, who deserves a seat in F1. I am looking forward to seeing him in our car and I’m confident that with Yuki and Nyck we will have a very strong driver line up for 2023.”

    With their plans for the upcoming season finalized, Alpine and AlphaTauri set their sights towards the remaining five events of the 2022 season, beginning this weekend at Suzuka International Racing Course for the return of the Japanese Grand Prix. The event is scheduled to occur on Sunday, October 9.

  • Alfa Romeo retains Zhou Guanyu for 2023 F1 season

    Alfa Romeo retains Zhou Guanyu for 2023 F1 season

    Alfa Romeo F1 Team Orlen announced that Zhou Guanyu will be remaining with the organization for the 2023 FIA Formula One World Championship season.

    The 23-year-old Zhou from Shanghai, China, is currently embarking in his maiden season in F1 competition, having been the first Chinese competitor to compete in F1. He scored his maiden point in F1 after finishing 10th during the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix at Bahrain International Circuit in March. Since then, he recorded his career-best result to date of eighth place at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve during the Canadian Grand Prix in June and is coming off a 10th-place run at Monza Circuit during the Italian Grand Prix in early September. 

    Zhou is currently ranked in 17th place in the drivers’ standings with six points through the first 16-scheduled events, but has greatly contributed to this year’s success of Alfa Romeo alongside teammate Valtteri Bottas as the team is situated in sixth place in the constructors’ standings with 52 points, 18 points ahead of Haas and 19 over Scuderia AlphaTauri.

    “I am happy and grateful to Alfa Romeo F1 Team ORLEN for the opportunity to be part of the team for another season,” Zhou said. “Making it to Formula One was a dream come true and the feeling of competing for the first time in a race will live with me forever: the team has been incredibly supportive, welcoming me from day one and helping me adapt to the most complex series in motorsport. There is more that I want to achieve in this sport and with the team, and the hard work we have put together since the start of the year is just the first step towards where we want to be next season. There is still a lot to learn, a lot to develop but I am confident in our work: I am looking forward to the next chapter of our story together.”

    Prior to F1, Zhou, whose racing career started with karts at the age of eight, competed in three seasons in Formula 2 with UNI-Virtuosi Racing, where he accumulated a total of five victories and a third-place result in the 2021 standings. He also spent the previous two F1 seasons as a test competitor for the Alpine F1 Team, having been a former member of the Alpine Academy, while achieving the 2021 F3 Asian Championship while competing for Abu Dhabi Racing by Prema. From 2016 to 2018, Zhou competed in Formula 3, where he accumulated two victories and an eighth-place result in the final standings in 2017 and 2018.

    “I am looking forward to continuing working with Zhou,” Frédéric Vasseur, Team Principal of Alfa Romeo, added “From day one with the team, at the Abu Dhabi test last year, he has impressed me with his approach to work and this is always a very positive trait. We knew he was quick, but the way he adapted to Formula One in such a short time has been one of the best surprises of our season. He is a very nice guy, everyone in the team likes both his personality and attitude. He has had the humility to ask questions and learn, from the engineers as well as Valtteri, and the intelligence to apply all the information he got to improve race after race. He will have this experience to draw on next season, and I am sure he will make another step forward as we continue to grow our team.” 

    Zhou’s confirmation for next season’s plans completes Alfa Romeo’s two-driver lineup for the upcoming F1 season, with Valtteri Bottas remaining with the organization in a multi-year deal. Bottas, a 10-time Grand Prix race winner who is currently campaigning in his first F1 season with Alfa Romeo, has achieved seven top-10 points-paying results and is ranked in 10th place in the drivers’ standings with 46 points.

    With his plans for next season set, Zhou is also set to return to action for this year’s F1 season at Marina Bay Street Circuit for the return of the Singapore Grand Prix on Sunday, October 2.

  • Yuki Tsunoda retained by AlphaTauri for 2023 F1 season

    Yuki Tsunoda retained by AlphaTauri for 2023 F1 season

    Scuderia AlphaTauri announced that Yuki Tsunoda will be remaining with the organization and compete in a third Formula One season in 2023.

    The 22-year-old Tsunoda from Sagamihara, Kanagawa, Japan, is currently campaigning in his second full-time season in F1 competition with the Faenza-based organization. Through 16 of 22-scheduled events, he has achieved three top-10 points-paying results, including a season-high seventh-place result at Imola Circuit for the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix in April, and has accumulated 11 points as he sits in 16th place in the drivers’ standings.

    “I want to say a huge thank you to Red Bull, Honda and Scuderia AlphaTauri for continuing to give me the opportunity to drive in F1,” Tsunoda said. “Having moved to Italy last year, to be closer to the factory, I really feel part of the team and am glad that I get to carry on racing with them in 2023. Of course, our 2022 season isn’t over yet and we’re still pushing hard in the midfield battle, so I’m fully focused on finishing it on a high and then we will look forward to next year.”

    Tsunoda, a graduate of the Red Bull Junior Team, made his inaugural presence in F1 at the start of the 2021 season, where he replaced Daniil Kvyat and competed alongside Pierre Gasly for AlphaTauri. In his maiden F1 event during the Bahrain Grand Prix at Bahrain International Circuit, Tsunoda collected his first two points in F1 after finishing ninth. He went on to achieve six additional top-10 results during the remaining 21-scheduled events, including his career-best result of fourth place during the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix at Yas Marina Circuit, before finishing in 14th place in the drivers’ standings with a total of 32 points. The points he and teammate Gasly (110) earned were enough to place AlphaTauri in sixth place in the final constructors’ standings with the team achieving its highest-combined points of 142.

    Prior to his debut in F1, Tsunoda, whose racing career commenced with karts, competed in the 2020 Formula 2 Championship season with Carlin, where he earned three victories, seven podiums and a third-place result in the final standings with 200 points. He also claimed his first Formula 3 victory at Autodromo Nazionale Monza while driving for Jenzer Motorsport in September 2019 and the 2018 F4 Japanese Championship title with the Honda Formula Dream Project.

    “As we’ve seen since he joined us last year, Yuki is a very talented driver and has improved a lot this season,” Franz Tost, Team Principal of AlphaTauri, added. “The pace he has shown recently is clear evidence of a steep learning curve, which proves he deserves a seat in F1, and I still expect some strong results from him in the last six races of 2022. As I always say, a driver needs at least three years to fully get to grips with Formula 1, so I’m pleased he’s been given the time to show his full potential. In addition, it’s a testament to Dr. [Helmut] Marko and his driver programme that we’re able to bring these young talents up from the junior categories and develop them. I’d like to join Yuki in thanking Red Bull, AlphaTauri as well as Honda, for their continuous support and for allowing him to stay with us for another year.”

    Tsunoda is slated to compete alongside Gasly at AlphaTauri for the 2023 season, though Gasly’s future with the organization remains unknown as he is rumored to replace Fernando Alonso at the BWT Alpine F1 Team for the upcoming season. AlphaTauri’s official confirmation of its two-driver lineup for 2023 have yet to be announced.

    With his racing plans for 2023 set, Tsunoda’s 2022 season will next continue at Marina Bay Street Circuit for the return of the Singapore Grand Prix on October 2.

  • Formula One reveals record-breaking 24-race schedule for 2023 season

    Formula One reveals record-breaking 24-race schedule for 2023 season

    The 2023 FIA Formula One World Championship schedule was revealed in a season that will feature a record-breaking 24 Grand Prix events spanning from early March through mid-November. 

    The schedule, which received approval from the World Motor Sport Council, features new date changes for some familiar venues and the return of two countries along with a debutant of another venue in the United States of America while one notable country will not host an event for the upcoming season.

    For a third consecutive season, the Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir will serve as the host of the season-opening Grand Prix event on March 5 to commence a new season of Formula One competition. The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix at Yas Marina Circuit will remain as the season-finale event for a 12th season on November 26.

    Notably, the United States of America will host three Grand Prix events in 2023, starting with the second annual Miami Grand Prix at Miami International Autodrome in Miami Gardens, Florida, on May 7. The United States Grand Prix will remain at Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, for an 11th season on October 22. Lastly, the Las Vegas Grand Prix at Las Vegas Street Circuit will be hosting its inaugural Grand Prix event on November 5.

    Familiar circuits that are set to return for the upcoming season include the Chinese Grand Prix at Shanghai International Circuit on April 16 and the Qatar Grand Prix at Losail International Circuit on October 8. The Chinese Grand Prix was last held in 2019 while the Qatar Grand Prix occurred for the first time in 2021. Qatar is slated to remain on the F1 calendar on a 10-year contract.

    Additional changes for the 2023 season include the Azerbaijan Grand Prix at Baku City Circuit moving up from June to April 30, the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at Iola Circuit scaling down from April to May 21, the Spanish Grand Prix at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya also scaling down from May to June 4, the Austrian and British Grand Prixs swapping dates in early July (July 2 & 9, respectively), the Belgian Grand Prix at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps moving up from late August to July 30, the Dutch Grand Prix at Circuit Zandvoort moving one week early from early September to August 27, the Italian Grand Prix at Monza Circuit moving one week early on September 3 and the Singapore and Japanese Grand Prixs moving up from early October to late September (September 17 & 24, respectively).

    The upcoming F1 schedule will be featuring a one-month summer break period for the competitors and teams following the Belgian Grand Prix in Spa on July 30 before returning to action at Circuit Zandvoort for the Dutch Grand Prix on August 27.

    Both the Belgian and Monaco Grand Prixs, which were rumored to be removed from the schedule, will remain following contract extension for both countries. The Belgian Grand Prix will be returning to the upcoming schedule following a one-year extension while the Monaco Grand Prix at Circuit de Monaco will span through 2025 under a new deal.

    Notably, the French Grand Prix, which occurred at Circuit Paul Ricard this past July, will not be featured on the 2023 schedule.

    The full 2023 Formula One schedule is as follows:

    1. March 5: Bahrain Grand Prix (Sakhir)

    2. March 19: Saudi Arabian Grand Prix (Jeddah)

    3. April 2: Australian Grand Prix (Melbourne)

    4. April 16: Chinese Grand Prix (Shanghai)

    5. April 30: Azerbaijan Grand Prix (Baku)

    6. May 7: Miami Grand Prix (Miami)

    7. May 21: Emilia Romagna Grand Prix (Imola)

    8. May 28: Monaco Grand Prix (Monaco)

    9. June 4: Spanish Grand Prix (Spain)

    10. June 18: Canadian Grand Prix (Montreal)

    11. July 2: Austrian Grand Prix (Spielberg)

    12. July 9: British Grand Prix (Silverstone)

    13. July 23: Hungarian Grand Prix (Budapest)

    14. July 30: Belgium Grand Prix (Spa)

    15. August 27: Dutch Grand Prix (Zandvoort)

    16. September 3: Italian Grand Prix (Monza)

    17. September 17: Singapore Grand Prix (Singapore)

    18. September 24: Japanese Grand Prix (Suzuka)

    19. October 8: Qatar Grand Prix (Losail)

    20. October 22: United States Grand Prix (Austin)

    21. October 29: Mexico City Grand Prix (Mexico City)

    22. November 5: São Paulo Grand Prix (São Paulo)

    23. November 18: Las Vegas Grand Prix (Las Vegas)

    24. November 26: Abu Dhabi Grand Prix (Yas Marina) 

    “We are excited to announce the 2023 calendar with 24 races around the world,” Stefano Domenicali, President & CEO of Formula One, said. “Formula 1 has unprecedented demand to host races and it is important we get the balance right for the entire sport. We are very pleased with the strong momentum Formula 1 continues to experience and it is great news that we will be able to bring our passionate fans a mix of exciting new locations such as Las Vegas to the Championship with much loved venues across Europe, Asia and the Americas.”

    “The presence of 24 races on the 2023 FIA Formula One World Championship calendar is further evidence of the growth and appeal of the sport on a global scale,” Mohammed Ben Sulayem, President of FIA, added. “The addition of new venues and the retention of traditional events underlines the FIA’s sound stewardship of the sport. I am delighted that we will be able to take Formula 1’s new era of exciting racing, created by the FIA’s 2022 Regulations, to a broader fan base in 2023.”

    The 2022 F1 season, which introduced new technical regulations towards the cars and for the teams, is currently down to its final six scheduled events. Max Verstappen, the reigning F1 champion for Oracle Red Bull Racing who has won 11 of 17 Grand Prix events that have occurred this season, currently leads the drivers’ standings by 116 points over Scuderia Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, who has won three Grand Prixs. In addition, Red Bull Racing leads the constructors’ standings by 139 points over Ferrari and 174 over the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team.

    With the 2023 racing schedule unveiled, the 2022 FIA Formula One World Championship season is set to resume at Marina Bay Street Circuit for the return of the Singapore Grand Prix on October 2.

  • Oscar Piastri to race for McLaren F1 in 2023 following Alpine contract dispute

    Oscar Piastri to race for McLaren F1 in 2023 following Alpine contract dispute

    Oscar Piastri has a new organization to call home after it was announced that he will be driving for the McLaren F1 Team for the 2023 FIA Formula One World Championship season. 

    The announcement comes after a summer-long dispute between McLaren and the Alpine F1 Team, where both organizations held valid contract for Piastri, which concluded ahead of this weekend’s Dutch Grand Prix at Circuit Zandvoort after the FIA’s contract recognition board (CRB) upheld McLaren’s contract with Piastri over Alpine’s.

    The dispute commenced in early August, where Alpine announced that Piastri, the reigning Formula 2 champion who currently serves as a reserve competitor for Alpine, would be promoted to Formula One to replace two-time F1 champion Fernando Alonso, who will be switching to Aston Martin, for the 2023 season. Piastri refuted the claim a few hours later on social media, which led to speculation that he would be joining McLaren for the upcoming season.

    In the ruling made by the FIA, it was revealed that McLaren Racing had signed Piastri to a two-year deal on July 4 following the British Grand Prix at Silverstone Circuit. Once the FIA made their final ruling, McLaren took to social media to confirm the signing of Piastri for the upcoming F1 season, where he will be competing alongside Lando Norris.

    “I’m extremely excited to be making my F1 debut with such a prestigious team as McLaren and I’m very grateful for the opportunity that’s been offered to me,” Piastri said in a statement. “The team has a long tradition of giving young talent a chance, and I’m looking forward to working hard alongside Lando to push the team towards the front of the grid. I’m focused on preparing for my F1 debut in 2023 and starting my F1 career in papaya.”

    Piastri joins McLaren with an extensive racing resume that commenced with karting at age 11 before relocating to the United Kingdom in 2016 to enhance his racing career. After competing in 11 Formula 4 UAE Championship events from 2016-17, the Australian joined TRS Arden Junior Team for the 2017 F4 British Championship season, where he finished in the runner-up spot in the standings after accumulating six victories and 13 podiums. Three years later, he won the 2020 FIA Formula 3 championship with Prema Racing before claiming the Formula 2 title this past season, where he won six races and claimed 11 podiums.

    “The entire team is delighted to welcome Oscar to McLaren for the 2023 F1 season,” Andreas Seidl, Team Principal of the McLaren F1 Team, said. “He has an impressive racing career to date, and we are sure that together with Lando, he will be able to help us move another step forward towards our ambitions. We still have an important job to do this season which the team remains focused on, before we will then ensure Oscar is integrated into the team as quickly as possible and ready for the challenges ahead. We look forward to preparing for an exciting 2023 season together.”

    “Oscar is one of the up-and-coming talents coming through the feeder series into F1 and we are delighted to see him join the team for 2023,” Zak Brown, CEO of McLaren Racing, added. “Winning both F3 and F2 in successive rookie seasons is a real achievement and testament to his talent in single-seater racing. In Lando and Oscar we have a young, exciting F1 line-up with a huge amount of potential, standing us in good stead to achieve our future ambitions. Oscar is an exciting addition to the McLaren family, and we look forward to seeing him grow with our F1 team.”

    Piastri’s move to McLaren means that he will be replacing Daniel Ricciardo, who announced nine days ago that he will be mutually parting ways from the organization despite his contract spanning through 2023. Ricciardo’s plans for next season have yet to be determined.

    Following the FIA’s decision, Alpine released a statement of their own:

    “BWT Alpine F1 Team thanks the Contract Recognition Board (CRB) for convening on Monday and we acknowledge the decision they have made. We consider the matter closed on our side and will announce our full 2023 driver line-up in due course. Our immediate focus is the Dutch Grand Prix and securing points in our fight for fourth in the Constructors’ Championship.”

    With eight Grand Prix events remaining to the 2022 Formula One season, Alpine occupies fourth place in the constructors’ standings by 20 points over McLaren as both continue their battle to emerge as the highest midfield organization. Their on-track battle is set to continue this upcoming weekend at Circuit Zandvoort for the Dutch Grand Prix, which will occur on Sunday, September 4.

  • Alexander Albon inks multi-year contract extension with Williams Racing

    Alexander Albon inks multi-year contract extension with Williams Racing

    Williams Racing announced a multi-year contract extension with driver Alexander Albon that will keep the Thai competitor with the organization for the 2023 FIA Formula One World Championship season.

    The 26-year-old Albon is currently embarking in his first F1 season with Williams, where he has achieved two top-10 points-paying results through the first 13-scheduled events: a 10th-place result in the Australian Grand Prix in April and a ninth-place result in the inaugural Miami Grand Prix in May. With a total of three points, which also mark the only points scored by Williams thus far, Albon is ranked in 19th place in the drivers’ standings.

    “I am really excited to be staying with Williams Racing for 2023 and look forward to seeing what we can achieve as a team in the remainder of this season and next year,” Albon said. “The team has made some strong gains this year and it’s exciting to continue this journey and further develop our learnings together.”

    Prior to Williams, Albon spent the 2019 and 2020 F1 seasons between Toro Rosso (currently AlphaTauri) and Red Bull Racing. After commencing the first 12 events with Toro Rosso in 2019, Albon was promoted to Red Bull as he replaced Pierre Gasly, who was demoted to Toro Rosso. After earning eight top-six results with his worst result being 14th in Brazil during the final nine events, Albon retained his seat at Red Bull alongside Max Verstappen for the 2020 season. Despite earning his maiden two podiums and a total of 12 top-10 results throughout the 17-race schedule in 2020, Albon was demoted to the role of test and reserve driver for Red Bull while being replaced by Sergio “Checo” Perez in 2021.

    Through 51 previous starts in Formula One, Albon has achieved two podiums, 200 points and an average-finishing result of 10.1.

    “Alex is a tremendous driver and valued member of Williams Racing, so we’re thrilled to be able to confirm we will be working with him on a long-term basis,” Jost Capito, Team Principal of Williams, added. “Alex brings a great blend of skill and insightful learnings that will help bring the team greater success in the future. He’s a fierce competitor, has proved a popular and loyal team member and we are delighted that he will provide a stable base for us to continue to develop in this new F1 car era.”

    Additional announcements regarding Williams’ driver lineup for the 2023 season, including a status update for their current second competitor Nicholas Latifi, are yet to be determined.

    With his plans for next season set, Albon will be returning to action at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps for the Belgian Grand Prix on August 28.

  • Fernando Alonso joining Aston Martin F1 Team on multi-year basis, beginning in 2023

    Fernando Alonso joining Aston Martin F1 Team on multi-year basis, beginning in 2023

    With the 2022 FIA Formula One World Championship season entering its one-month break period, Aston Martin Armco Cognizant F1 Team announced that Fernando Alonso will be joining the organization on a multi-year basis, beginning in the 2023 F1 season. 

    The two-time F1 champion from Oviedo, Asturias, Spain, is currently campaigning in his second full-time season with the BWT Alpine F1 Team and 19th overall in Formula One competition. Through the first 13 of 22-scheduled events in 2022, Alonso has recorded nine top-10 points-paying results, including eight-in-a-row from the Spanish Grand Prix in May through this past weekend’s Hungarian Grand Prix. He is currently ranked in 10th place in the drivers’ standings with 41 points.

    Alonso’s move to Aston Martin comes four days after four-time F1 champion Sebastian Vettel, who is currently in his second full-time season at Aston Martin, announced plans to retire following the 2022 season. It will also add to Alonso’s extensive motorsports resume of organizations the Spaniard has competed for previously in F1 competition, including Renault, Ferrari and McLaren.

    “This Aston Martin team is clearly applying the energy and commitment to win, and it is therefore one of the most exciting teams in Formula One today,” Alonso said. “I have known Lawrence and Lance [Stroll] for many years and it is very obvious that they have the ambition and passion to succeed in Formula One. 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. No one in Formula One today is demonstrating a greater vision and absolute commitment to winning, and that makes it a really exciting opportunity for me.”

    Through a total of 347 starts in F1, Alonso has achieved two championships, 32 victories, 22 poles and 98 podiums. After initially retiring from F1 competition in 2018 before making a triumphant return this past season with Alpine, he made a triumphant return to the podium in seven years and first since the 2014 Hungarian Grand Prix after finishing in third place during the inaugural Qatar Grand Prix in November 2021. Alonso continues to pursue his first F1 victory since winning the 2013 Spanish Grand Prix.

    “I have known and admired Fernando for many years and it has always been clear that he is a committed winner like me,” Lawrence Stroll, Executive Chairman of Aston Martin, said. “I have set out to bring together the best people and develop the right resources and organisation to succeed in this highly competitive sport, and those plans are now taking shape at Silverstone. It seemed natural therefore to invite Fernando to be part of the development of a winning team, and we very quickly established in our recent conversations that we have the same ambitions and values, and it was logical and easy to confirm our desire to work together.”

    “I have witnessed the excitement in the engineering team and throughout the whole organisation at the opportunity to work with Fernando,” Mike Krack, Team Principal of Aston Martin, added. “We know that nearly everyone can learn from someone of Fernando’s calibre and experience. We are confident that he will inspire everyone to lift their game, and that will only enhance the already infectious energy that exists within the team. The team has a new leadership focused on the development of AMR23, and we are all thrilled that they and our future projects will benefit from the knowledge and experience that Fernando will bring.”

    With the move, Alonso is expected to compete alongside Lance Stroll, son of Lawrence Stroll who is in his second season at Aston Martin and sixth overall in F1 competition.

    With his plans for next season set, Alonso will be returning to action at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps for the Belgian Grand Prix and the continuation of the 2022 F1 season with Alpine on August 28.

  • AlphaTauri retains Pierre Gasly for 2023 F1 season

    AlphaTauri retains Pierre Gasly for 2023 F1 season

    Scuderia AlphaTauri announced that Pierre Gasly will be returning to the organization for the 2023 FIA Formula One World Championship season.

    The 26-year-old Gasly from Rouen, France, is currently embarking in his fifth full-time season in F1 competition, where he is ranked in 11th place in the drivers’ championship standings on the strength of three top-10 points-paying results through the first nine scheduled Grand Prix events, thus tallying his points total to 16. His best on-track result through this season is fifth place at the Baku City Circuit for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix two weeks ago.

    “I have been with this team for five years now and I am proud of the journey we’ve been through together and the progress we have made,” Gasly said. “I’m happy to remain with my Scuderia AlphaTauri team. This year’s new regulations have created new challenges for us and being able to plan our development with the team for the next 18 months is a good working basis for the future.”

    Gasly made his F1 debut with AlphaTauri, formerly known at Toro Rosso, during the 2017 Malaysian Grand Prix at Sepang International Circuit, where he started 15th and finished 14th. He went on to compete in four of the final five scheduled events of the 2017 season before he became a full-time F1 competitor for AlphaTauri in 2018, where he earned five top-10 results, 29 points and a 15th-place result in the final standings. Gasly was then promoted to drive for Red Bull Racing, AlphaTauri’s sister team, for the 2019 season, but was demoted back to AlphaTauri in Red Bull’s favor of Alexander Albon due to consistency struggles. Despite the midseason demotion, Gasly went on to claim his maiden podium result in the Brazilian Grand Prix at Interlagos Circuit after finishing in the runner-up spot before settling in seventh place in the final standings.

    Since 2020, Gasly has achieved 28 results in the top 10 in F1 competition. The highlight during the stretch was achieving his maiden F1 victory in the 2020 Italian Grand Prix at Monza Circuit, where he became the first Frenchman since Oliver Panis in 1996 to win in F1 as he recorded the second career victory for AlphaTauri. He is coming off his career-best season to date in F1 competition in 2021, where he recorded his third podium result at the Baku City Circuit along with a total of 15 top-10 results and 110 points throughout the 22-race schedule. Despite finishing in ninth place in the final drivers’ standings in 2021, Gasly along with teammate Yuki Tsunoda contributed to AlphaTauri’s career-best season to date in F1 competition with a total of 142 points and a sixth-place result in the constructors’ standings.

    Through 95 previous starts in F1, Gasly has achieved one victory, three podiums, 26 laps led, 325 points and an average-finishing result of 10.8.

    “We are really pleased to confirm that Pierre stays with us in 2023” Franz Tost, AlphaTauri’s team principal, said. “He is definitely in the group of the best and most competitive drivers in F1 and has proven his abilities during all the time he has spent with us. Undoubtedly, Pierre can play a major role in the team having a successful season next year and it will be down to us to provide him with a competitive car, so that he can continue to deliver excellent results.”

    AlphaTauri’s full driver lineup, including plans for its second competitor, Yuki Tsunoda, will be announced at a later date.

    With his plans for 2023 set, Gasly will return to F1 competition at Silverstone Circuit for the British Grand Prix on July 3.