The annual three-week Formula One break allows drivers to relax and for teams to retool. But the holiday is known for something else, too. It’s “Silly Season,” when rumors abound about who will drive for which team next year. And what a Summer Break it was!
The news flow began in the days running up to the Hungarian Grand Prix weekend, the last race before the summer break. Four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel announced that he would be retiring from the sport, and that got the rumor machine cranking regarding who might replace him. Several names popped up, including Fernando Alonso, Daniel Ricciardo, and Vettel’s favorite, Mick Schumacher.
Fernando Alonso (photo courtesy F1)
But the circus really began the day after the race weekend, when it was announced that Alonso had already signed a two-year, and perhaps a three-year, deal with Aston Martin. That announcement surprised his current Alpine team; the thinking there was that a further deal with the Spaniard was secured. That said, the French team had only given Alonso a one-year contract with a performance clause for further employment. Knowing Alonso’s age (he just turned 41), Alpine wanted to judge him on merit. But Alonso wanted more security, and that’s what Aston Martin offered him.
Then things got even crazier. Following the shock of Alonso leaving, a day later, Alpine announced that their reserve driver, Australian Oscar Piastri, would take Alonso’s place and drive alongside Esteban Ocon. What’s the problem? Nobody informed Piastri. To make matters even worse, Alpine–so sure that Alonso would be on board in 2023–forgot to sign Piastri for another year, which gave Piastri a chance to move to another team. Piastri then announced that he would not be racing for Alpine next season. Instead, with the assistance of Piastri’s partners’, former F1 driver Mark Webber and former Renault F1 manager Flavio Briatore, Piastri moved to McLaren.
That announcement raised eyebrows because McLaren already has two drivers, Lando Norris and Daniel Ricciardo. Norris is a lock to remain, meaning something was up regarding Ricciardo’s seat, even though he has one year remaining on his contract. So, a buyout would have to be in the works, which, if executed, would give Piastri the chance to fill that position.
Oscar Piastri (photo by Joe Portlock – Formula 1/Formula Motorsport Limited via Getty Images)
There’s even more to this story. Alpine protested, saying that Piastri violated their contract. Then, the Board of Contracts judged that both parties were correct and that it would be Alpine’s decision to be paid by McLaren for Piastri’s service. If that happens, then who will fill the second seat at Alpine? Ricciardo is the choice, but he could be too expensive for Alpine CEO Laurent Rossi, who is rumored to want Schumacher for the second seat. But is Schumacher ready? Vettel, a great friend of the younger Schumacher, believes that he should be released from his Ferrari academy contract, which now has him at Haas. Haas still has to decide whether Schumacher’s 2022 performances warrant another season at the American team.
So here we are on the weekend of the Belgian Grand Prix, a race that might be axed from Formula One’s future calendar. And with Alpha Tauri, Williams, Alfa Romeo, Haas, McLaren, and Alpine seats open, the situation with the drivers/teams might be just as stormy as the weather is predicted to be this weekend at the famous Spa-Francorchamps circuit.
