Beyond the Flag
Fansided

Formula 1: The complication with Alfa Romeo Racing’s second seat

By Asher Fair

SPA, BELGIUM - SEPTEMBER 01: Antonio Giovinazzi of Italy driving the (99) Alfa Romeo Racing C38 Ferrari on track during the F1 Grand Prix of Belgium at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps on September 01, 2019 in Spa, Belgium. (Photo by Charles Coates/Getty Images)
SPA, BELGIUM - SEPTEMBER 01: Antonio Giovinazzi of Italy driving the (99) Alfa Romeo Racing C38 Ferrari on track during the F1 Grand Prix of Belgium at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps on September 01, 2019 in Spa, Belgium. (Photo by Charles Coates/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

The situation regarding Alfa Romeo Racing’s second seat for the 2020 Formula 1 is more complex than the team simply picking a driver.

One of the five remaining seats on the 20-seat grid for the 2020 Formula 1 season belongs to Alfa Romeo Racing. Kimi Raikkonen is already under contract with the team through the 2020 season, but rookie Antonio Giovinazzi is not.

As a result of the fact that the 25-year-old Italian has been outscored 31 to 3 by his veteran teammate through the first 14 races of the 21-race 2019 season with just two top 10 finishes compared to Raikkonen’s eight, there has been speculation that he will be replaced.

With current Renault driver Nico Hulkenberg set to be replaced by Esteban Ocon next year and with Haas having ruled out signing him by re-signing Romain Grosjean, he had been rumored as a possible replacement candidate for Giovinazzi.

But Alfa Romeo Racing’s second driver decision is a lot more complex than simply selecting a second driver such as the 32-year-old German.

More from Formula One

Technically, Ferrari are allowed to select one of Alfa Romeo Racing’s two drivers. This season, their selection was Giovinazzi. Last season, their selection was Charles Leclerc, who ended up replacing Raikkonen at the factory team ahead of 2019.

So while Raikkonen was confirmed as the replacement for Leclerc ahead of the 2019 season, he technically replaced Marcus Ericsson, as Leclerc was Ferrari’s selection for the team while Ericsson was not, and Raikkonen was not their selection for the 2019 season.

As a result, in order for the Swiss team to replace Giovinazzi, they would need to get Ferrari’s approval. Whether or not that happens remains to be seen, but given recent comments made by Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto about Giovinazzi, it looks as though the 25-year-old Italian could be in line for a second season alongside Raikkonen.

Hulkenberg is not associated with Ferrari, and there are no clear-cut drivers within the Ferrari organization who would be in line to replace Giovinazzi if Alfa Romeo Racing opt to replace him. Mick Schumacher was thought to be a potential candidate to replace him earlier this year, but the Formula 2 rookie likely will not have enough points on his superlicense to be promoted to Formula 1 next year.

Next. Top 10 Formula 1 drivers of all-time. dark

With Ferrari having the final say as it pertains to who Alfa Romeo Racing’s second driver will be for the 2020 Formula 1 season, will the team end up retaining Antonio Giovinazzi for the second season, or will they sign somebody else? If they sign somebody else, who will they go with? Is Nico Hulkenberg even a realistic option at this point?

Home/Formula One