- The only seats remaining unconfirmed on the 2024 grid are now the two at AlphaTauri and the one currently occupied at Williams by American rookie Logan Sargeant.
- There is also seemingly no room at the inn for Formula 2 championship leader Théo Pourchaire, 20, who will remain as Alfa Romeo’s reserve driver for 2024.
- Other matters remain up in the air, including news on the 2025 tire supplier.
Formula 1’s 2023 season will begin drifting toward its conclusion this weekend with the first of the traditional end-of-year flyaway events at Singapore’s Marina Bay Street Circuit.
The expansion of the calendar means that there are still eight events to go—including a return to Qatar and Las Vegas’ debut—but the sport is now on the downhill slope towards the finale. Both titles will be decided long before Formula 1 arrives in Abu Dhabi, with Max Verstappen standing a chance of setting up his first match point in Japan next Sunday,.
Meanwhile, Red Bull has a very, very slim chance of sealing the Constructors’ crown at this weekend’s race.
Red Bull has not been beaten in Formula 1 this season, and Verstappen is on a record-breaking run of 10 successive victories.
Plenty Still Undecided in F1
Other matters remain up in the air, with the paddock awaiting news on the 2025 tire supplier, as well as the process regarding prospective new teams, most prominently Andretti. The cost cap saga, which last year dominated these two events in Asia, has been quietly put to bed for 2023 with last week’s confirmation that all teams are in compliance.
The driver market is also a relatively tepid affair going into the 2023-24 offseason. Several front-running drivers are on long-term deals, meaning they have all been locked down for a long time, while the midfield squads have also predominantly adopted the status quo. There is a probability that there will be no debutants on next year’s grid for the first time in recent memory.
Driver Puzzle Coming Into Focus
One more expected piece of the puzzle fell into place on Thursday as Alfa Romeo confirmed Zhou Guanyu for a third season, alongside the already-contracted Valtteri Bottas.
It means Zhou has the opportunity to become the first Chinese driver to race at the Chinese Grand Prix when the event returns to the schedule next April.
Zhou has fared moderately well against experienced teammate Bottas this season but Alfa Romeo’s uncompetitive C43 has restricted him to just a pair of ninth-place finishes.
“Signing again with the team is always a great feeling, especially when we know how things are shaping up,” said Zhou. “I am also very excited about the opportunity to finally race with my team in China, in front of my home crowd. It will be a great moment and I’m proud to be able to share it with all those who have supported me.”
There is no room at the inn for Formula 2 championship leader Théo Pourchaire, 20, who will remain as Alfa Romeo’s reserve driver for 2024.
Pourchaire staying on as reserve driver nonetheless means the talented young Frenchman keeps a foot in the door for 2025, a year in advance of Sauber fully transforming into Audi’s factory team in Formula 1, which is where its main focus currently rests.
Three Seats Remain Unsettled
The only seats remaining unconfirmed on the 2024 grid are now the two at AlphaTauri and the one currently occupied at Williams by American rookie Logan Sargeant.
Sargeant has had a tricky rookie season with Williams and has yet to score a top 10 finish, with teammate Alex Albon single-handedly putting Williams into seventh in the Constructors’ championship.
“I think from the team side and what I want to see from my side is constant improvement from now to the end of the season,” said Sargeant on his future.
“That’s keeping making steps forwards, deliver laps when I need to in quali, just being more controlled and comfortable, if I keep doing that, the goal is just to keep making steps forwards.”
Sargeant had backing in the form of teammate Albon.
“We’re now at the part of the year where we have street tracks and new tracks,” said Albon, when asked by Autoweek. “I think for Logan it’s about keeping his head down, there’s always a lot of talk—you guys are part of that talk!—but it’s having that mental strength to get past that sticky phase.
“Every rookie has ups and downs, it’s how you get through them and recover from them. He’s definitely got pace. When we look at data together it’s often just one corner, or a mistake, just puts him out of position relative to myself. But I have no doubt he’ll find that rhythm and once he’ll have a strong weekend it’ll just positively spiral.”
Liam Lawson will continue to substitute for the injured Daniel Ricciardo in Singapore—and is expected to remain in the AlphaTauri AT04 in Japan—though the Australian is present in the paddock for engineering meetings, and marketing events, as he continues his recovery.
AlphaTauri is in no rush to determine its 2024 line-up with Lawson, Ricciardo and incumbent Yuki Tsunoda effectively three drivers for two seats.
As it stands, eight of the 10 teams will enter 2024 with unchanged driver lineups, while AlphaTauri and Williams could yet ensure there’s not a single off-season alteration.
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