Sebastian Vettel is set to retire from Formula 1 after the 2022 season. Who will replace him at Aston Martin alongside Lance Stroll in 2023?
Four-time Formula 1 world champion Sebastian Vettel is in his second season competing for Aston Martin, and he entered the year without a deal to compete beyond its conclusion.
While he proved in 2021 that he is still capable of achieving the odd podium finish, it is no secret that Vettel is past his prime; that was clear even before he left Ferrari after 2020.
With Aston Martin continuing to struggle, speculation had begun to heat up that the 2022 season could be the 34-year-old German’s last in Formula 1.
Last week, he confirmed that he is indeed set to retire after 2022. Who will replace him alongside Lance Stroll in 2023? Here are three possibilities.
Sebastian Vettel 2023 replacements: No. 1 – Mick Schumacher
Mick Schumacher is only under contract with Haas through the end of the 2022 season, and there has been speculation that sport’s lone American team could look elsewhere for a second driver to pair alongside Kevin Magnussen for 2023.
He has quieted down that talk a bit recently, scoring points in multiple races following a scoreless start to his second season, but one individual who was never focused on the negatives, such as the amount crash damage for which he has accounted, is Vettel.
It was long believed that if Vettel were to step away, he would do everything in his power to persuade Aston Martin to give Schumacher a second chance, if Haas were to cut ties with him. He is that kind of guy, and he has that kind of relationship with the young Schumacher.
Vettel did indeed back Schumacher to replace him, though at this point, would Schumacher even be smart to leave Haas?
Sebastian Vettel 2023 replacements: No. 2 – Fernando Alonso
Two-time Formula 1 world champion Fernando Alonso is in his second season with Alpine, which is also his second season since coming out of “retirement”. Unlike Sebastian Vettel, he is looking to remain in Formula 1 beyond the conclusion of 2022.
He does not yet have a contract with Alpine to continue competing for the team next year, though the two sides are reportedly in talks to make it happen. However, until something is signed, you can never say never, and his name is one that had been linked to Aston Martin well before Vettel decided to make his plans for 2023 known to the world.
Alpine reserve driver Oscar Piastri had been tipped to replace Nicholas Latifi at Williams next year, which would mean that Alpine have agreed to lease him out for the 2023 season. But those talks have sort of quieted down in recent weeks.
Could the open Aston Martin seat lure Alonso away from the French outfit, thus giving Piastri the opportunity to compete alongside Esteban Ocon, who is under contract at Alpine through 2024, and giving Williams the opportunity to sign somebody else, such as Formula 2 driver Logan Sargeant, to pair with Alexander Albon in 2023?
Sebastian Vettel 2023 replacements: No. 3 – Daniel Ricciardo
Daniel Ricciardo has emerged as a potential replacement for Sebastian Vettel due to ongoing speculation about his future. While he is under contract with McLaren through the 2023 Formula 1 season, it’s no secret that neither he nor the team are thrilled with his performance since joining the team last year.
Yes, he did deliver them their first win since 2012 at Monza last year, and in doing so, he led the 2021 season’s only 1-2 finish, which was the Woking-based team’s first since 2010. Still, that has been one of the very few highlights of his time with the papaya, and the two sides could very well agree that it’s time to cut ties after 2022.
There are reportedly “mechanisms” in place that would allow Ricciardo and McLaren to end their deal a year early, though the specifics of those mechanisms have not been publicized. So who really has a say in the matter?
Even with Ricciardo having said he plans to fulfill the rest of his contract, there are still a few doubts.
If McLaren do end up signing somebody new to pair alongside Lando Norris for 2023 and Ricciardo opts to pursue other rides in Formula 1, look no further than Aston Martin as a possibility.
He would aim to rejuvenate his career at a team clearly capable of more than they have shown on-track with their current driver lineup, and with all due respect to Lance Stroll, Ricciardo would be well-positioned as the team’s lead driver, something that can’t be said for him at McLaren with Norris.
With Sebastian Vettel retiring after the 2022 Formula 1 season, who will replace him? Will it be one of these three drivers, or will Aston Martin surprise us?