Heading into the last leg of the 2022 Formula 1 season, and competition is heating up for the final few seats in the 2023 season. With a transfer likely to happen between AlphaTauri and Alpine, there are three seats remaining to be filled, between AlphaTauri/Alpine, Haas and Williams. Who will fill these seats is yet to be confirmed, and below we offer our breakdown of the favourites ahead of each organisation making their decision.
AlphaTauri, Alpine and Pierre Gasly
Pierre Gasly has made his interest in moving to Alpine clear. Following the shock exit of Fernando Alonso who jumped ship from Alpine to Aston Marton, the organisation was scrambling to find a replacement. Oscar Piastri turned down an offer, leaving Alpine declaring they had a list of 14 drivers they were considering. However, the favourite by far is Pierre Gasly, who is a sure thing for the seat, on the condition that AlphaTauri are able to find a suitable replacement for him on their side.
For AlphaTauri, assuming Gasly does go, the lead contender to replace him is Nyck de Vries, who has been used as a stand-in driver for Williams. As an F2 and Formula E champion, de Vries has been in conversation with Red Bull, and looks likely to secure a full-time driving position with AlphaTauri next year.
Williams Eyeing Up De Vries As Well
However, AlphaTauri faced competition from Williams for de Vries. Nicholas Latifi leaving at the end of 2022 leaves Williams with a spare seat alongside Alex Albon in their team. Having already used Nyck de Vries as a stand-in driver this year, Williams are rumoured to have put an offer on the table for the young Dutch driver. It’s safe to say that de Vries will be featuring full-time in next year’s Formula 1, it’s just a case of which team he represents.
If de Vries is not secured by Williams, they will be looking for another driver. Regular punters at one of the best Formula 1 betting sites, Betting.com, will be eagerly awaiting the news of Williams selection, as it will have a heavy impact on their odds to win next season. In-house F2 winner Logan Sargeant is likely to be the favourite for a call up, should de Vries reject the Williams offer.
Haas Seeking Partner for Magnussen
The future of Mick Schumacher is unsure beyond the 2022 F1 season, leaving Haas potentially on the lookout for a teammate to support Kevin Magnussen. Another reserve driver could get the call up in the form of Nico Hulkenburg, with the 35-year-old German the frontrunner for Haas’ remaining seat. Having previously driven for Renault, and currently driving as a reserve for Aston Martin, Hulkenburg would bolster the Haas ranks with some strong experience.
Outside of Hulkenburg, Italian Antonio Giovinazzi is another option for Haas. The Scuderia Ferrari reserve driver is a previous Formula 3 champion, and has expressed an interest in moving over to Haas for a full time driving position.