Formula 1: Alfa Romeo’s likely 2021 driver lineup
By Asher Fair
Multiple sources have revealed what is believed to be Alfa Romeo’s most likely driver lineup for the 2021 Formula 1 season.
Alfa Romeo are one of three teams in Formula 1 that have yet to confirm either one of their two drivers for next year. The other two teams in that boat are AlphaTauri and Haas.
Four teams have completely solidified their driver lineups for next year, with those four teams being Ferrari, McLaren, Renault (Alpine) and Williams, while three other teams have confirmed one of their two drivers, with those four teams being Mercedes, Red Bull and Racing Point (Aston Martin).
But Alfa Romeo may be next to join the list of teams with completely solidified driver lineups for next year. According to multiple reports, their lineup is practically already set, albeit without the public confirmation.
More from Formula One
- Formula 1: Top Red Bull threat identified for 2024
- Formula 1: Why the Max Verstappen retirement obsession?
- Formula 1: Williams ‘mistake’ hints Logan Sargeant’s future
- Formula 1 awaiting key confirmation for 2024 season
- Formula 1: The ‘championship’ Max Verstappen only leads by 3 points
That lineup includes veteran Kimi Raikkonen and Antonio Giovinazzi.
The former is currently in his 18th season of Formula 1 competition and his second at Alfa Romeo. He recently broke the all-time Formula 1 starts record by making his 323rd career start at the Nurburgring, and at age 41, he is more than five years older than anybody else in the field, and retirement rumors have been swirling. He signed a two-year agreement with the team ahead of the 2019 season, and it appears as though that deal will be extended into the 2021 campaign.
As for Giovinazzi, there had been rumors that Alfa Romeo would be promoting Ferrari junior driver Mick Schumacher from Formula 2. Mick is the son of seven-time world champion and 91-time Grand Prix winner Michael Schumacher, and he is a member of the Ferrari Driver Academy.
Ferrari have the right to select one of Alfa Romeo’s two drivers each season, and their selection the past two seasons has been Giovinazzi. It had not appeared likely that the 26-year-old Italian would be back with the team next year, especially with the trio of 21-year-old Ferrari juniors currently having success in Formula 2.
Among that trio, Schumacher is the driver who stands out. Driving for Prema Racing, he currently leads the Formula 2 driver standings with two victories and six additional podium finishes through 20 races this season, and he is in his second year of competition.
The German driver finished in 12th place in the 2017 Formula 3 European Championship standings before winning the title in his second year, and he is poised to do the exact same thing in Formula 2 this year, having placed 12th in his rookie year last year.
But now no changes are expected. After a rocky start to his rookie season last year, Giovinazzi outscored Raikkonen in the final nine races, and he has outscored his veteran teammate again this year despite Alfa Romeo and all of the Ferrari-powered teams struggling mightily and regularly failing to score points.
dark. Next. Top 10 Formula 1 drivers of all-time
As far as when Alfa Romeo’s 2021 driver lineup will be confirmed, there is no official timetable, and it is still unknown where Schumacher and the other Ferrari juniors who have been in contention for Formula 1 seats next year, Callum Ilott and Robert Shwartzman, will end up, whether that be in Formula 1 or Formula 2.