Kimi, Valtteri Bottas, George Russell, Alexander Albon, Antonio Giovinazzi and Guanyu Zhou
F1 driver changes for 2022:
Prior to the 2021 Dutch Grand Prix, Kimi Räikkönen announced his intention to retire at the end of the championship, ending his Formula One career after 19 seasons.
Räikkönen’s seat at Alfa Romeo Racing will be filled by Valtteri Bottas, who is due to leave Mercedes at the end of 2021.
George Russell is due to replace Bottas, vacating his seat at Williams which will be filled by former Red Bull Racing driver Alexander Albon.
Formula 2 driver Guanyu Zhou will graduate to Formula One with Alfa Romeo Racing, in place of Antonio Giovinazzi, who is due to leave the team at the end of 2021.
Zhou would become the first Chinese driver to compete in Formula One.
FeedsExternal links
*in the order of time scales
- Kimi
- Kimi Raikkonen to retire from Formula 1 at the end of 2021 / formula1.com
- WATCH: From a sensational Suzuka win to taking the title in Brazil – Top 10 moments of Kimi Raikkonen brilliance / formula1.com
- ‘There isn’t any driver out there like Kimi’ says Alfa boss Vasseur as Raikkonen announces his retirement / formula1.com
- ANALYSIS: What Raikkonen’s retirement means for Alfa Romeo’s 2022 line-up – and the rest of the driver market / formula1.com
- BUXTON: Raikkonen’s departure deprives us of a true original – we may never see his like again in F1 / formula1.com
- ‘I did it my way’ – Raikkonen says he has no regrets as he calls time on illustrious F1 career / formula1.com
- ‘I’d always be Kimi in computer games’ – Hamilton leads tributes to Raikkonen after Finn announces retirement / formula1.com
- WATCH: ‘Just leave me alone’ – The ultimate Kimi Raikkonen team radio collection / formula1.com
- Raikkonen ruled out of Dutch GP after positive Covid-19 test – Kubica to race in his place / formula1.com
- Wolff, Horner and Szafnauer reveal just how close they came to signing Kimi Raikkonen / formula1.com
- Raikkonen ruled out of Italian Grand Prix, with Kubica set to deputise again for Alfa Romeo / formula1.com
- Raikkonen says he’ll have no trouble replacing adrenaline of F1 after retirement / formula1.com
- ‘We’ll keep trying’ vows Raikkonen as he chases points in the final three races of his F1 career / formula1.com
- Valtteri Bottas
- Alfa Romeo announce Valtteri Bottas to join the team in 2022 on multi-year deal / formula1.com
- Alfa Romeo move a chance for Bottas to emerge from Hamilton’s shadow, says Vasseur / formula1.com
- ANALYSIS: Why Bottas signed for Alfa Romeo – and what it means for Mercedes, Williams and the rest of the driver market / formula1.com
- ‘He will forever be part of the Mercedes family’, says Wolff as Bottas announces Alfa switch / formula1.com
- Hamilton says Bottas is ‘best team mate I’ve had’ as Finn announces Alfa Romeo move / formula1.com
- Alfa Romeo ‘serious about the future’ says Bottas as he relishes team leader opportunity / formula1.com
- George Russell
- Russell or Bottas? Wolff says Mercedes have decided who will partner Hamilton in 2022 / formula1.com
- ‘He’s the future’ – Hamilton happy if ‘incredibly talented’ Russell becomes team mate for 2022 / formula1.com
- Russell admits he already knows where he’ll be driving in 2022 – and says he was told before Belgian GP / formula1.com
- Mercedes announce George Russell will partner Lewis Hamilton in 2022 / formula1.com
- Wolff says signing Russell wasn’t a ‘straightforward decision’ – but backs Briton to form strong partnership with Hamilton / formula1.com
- ANALYSIS: Why Mercedes chose to promote Russell for 2022 – and the impact it has on the driver market / formula1.com
- Capito ‘delighted’ with Russell’s Mercedes opportunity as he says team have ‘strong options’ to replace him / formula1.com
- BUXTON: Mercedes had to promote Russell – but Wolff now faces one of the biggest challenges of his career / formula1.com
- ‘I’m definitely going in on level terms’ – Russell says Mercedes have promised he won’t be No2 to Hamilton / formula1.com
- Hamilton expecting Russell to ‘bring the heat’ as he backs Briton to energise Mercedes / formula1.com
- ‘Learn from the best and enjoy it’– Leclerc’s advice to Russell on joining top team with world champion team mate / formula1.com
- Wolff says Mercedes need to ‘condition and calibrate’ Russell to avoid repeat of Rosberg vs Hamilton rift / formula1.com
- Alexander Albon
- Alex Albon returns to F1 race seat with Williams in 2022 alongside Nicholas Latifi / formula1.com
- Albon’s top team experience key, says Capito, who expects Thai driver to push Williams up the grid in 2022 / formula1.com
- ANALYSIS: Why Williams chose Albon as Russell’s replacement – and retained Latifi for 2022 / formula1.com
- ‘We all know he has speed’ – Verstappen backs Albon to thrive on F1 return with Williams / formula1.com
- Red Bull retain option on Williams-bound Albon for 2023, reveals Horner / formula1.com
- Antonio Giovinazzi
- Binotto in favour of Alfa Romeo keeping Giovinazzi – but Vasseur tight-lipped on shortlist / formula1.com
- Alfa Romeo confirm Giovinazzi will leave the team at the end of the season, as Italian announces Formula E switch / formula1.com
- Guanyu Zhou
- Chinese driver Guanyu Zhou to make Formula 1 practice debut with Alpine in Austria / formula1.com
- ‘I definitely proved myself’ – Chinese star Zhou delighted with pace on F1 practice debut / formula1.com
- Alonso says Zhou ‘executed FP1 perfectly’ in his place at the Red Bull Ring / formula1.com
- Guanyu Zhou: Getting to know China’s great F1 hope / formula1.com
- Alfa Romeo announce Guanyu Zhou as Valtteri Bottas’s team mate for 2022 / formula1.com
- ANALYSIS: Why Alfa Romeo went for Zhou, how the deal came together – and who else was in contention for the seat / formula1.com
- Zhou has everything to be successful in F1, says Alfa Romeo boss / formula1.com
