At the end of a F1 season, three things are certain. Someone will win, someone will lose, and someone’s contract will expire. Following Carlos Sainz’s contract extension with Ferrari, it’s time to round up the drivers who risk losing their seat at the end of the 2022 campaign.
Pérez, Alonso and Vettel
Sergio Pérez’s contract with Red Bull expires at the end of 2022. It’s unlikely that he’ll leave F1, after his so-far excellent start to the 2022 season. He’s currently sitting third in the Drivers Standings and is proving to be a perfect teammate for current World Champion Max Verstappen (who is signed to Red Bull until the end of the 2028 season).
Two-time World Champion Fernando Alonso made his comeback to F1 in 2021 after his brief retirement. Currently racing alongside Esteban Ocon for Alpine, it is hard to believe that Alonso will want to leave F1 before he gets his hands on at least another podium.
Four-time World Champion Sebastian Vettel is currently racing with Aston Martin. He missed the first two races this season due to testing positive for COVID-19. He then had a DNF at the Australian GP. It’s safe to say that Vettel’s season has not been great so far. Question marks loom over whether Vettel will retire this year or not. Many will be sad to see Vettel exit F1, but he will leave behind a brilliant legacy.
Schumacher and AlphaTauri
A close friend of Vettel, Mick Schumacher’s contract with Haas expires this season too. Schumacher is yet to score his first ever points in F1, and is falling short to his teammate, Kevin Magnussen. Schumacher is a member of the Ferrari Driving Academy so, if he exits F1 this year, I’m sure it won’t be the last we see of him.
Fan favourite Yuki Tsunoda and his teammate Pierre Gasly’s contracts with AlphaTauri are both expiring this year. Gasly, a previous driver for Red Bull, has voiced his wishes to remain in F1. If Tsunoda departed F1, all Drive to Survive fans will agree that the show will lose one of the funniest drivers on the show. Both are showing great promise this season, so it’s hard to imagine they will be leaving.
Williams and Guanyu
Both Williams drivers Alex Albon and Nicholas Latifi could be leaving F1 this year too. Latifi, who has scored zero points so far this season, could be at risk of having his seat replaced. Albon has only recently returned to F1. He scored Williams their first points after an amazing drive at the Australian Grand Prix.
Zhou Guanyu has scored Alfa Romeo one point so far in his debut season in F1. His contract is only a year, and with many up-and-coming stars in F2, he could be at risk of leaving F1.
Only time will tell who stays and who goes at the end of this season. With so much rising talent coming through the ranks of the lower Formulas, it’s all to drive for this season.
