The top three constructors' driver lineups were established long before anyone else, with Mercedes, Ferrari, and Red Bull’s drivers all continuing with their existing lineups - the longest being Max Verstappen’s with his place at Red Bull guaranteed until at least 2028, and the shortest, Lewis Hamilton’s, will expire at the end of 2023.
Sadly, Daniel Ricciardo will be parting with McLaren, apparently by “mutual consent,” though Ricciardo admitted that the team had made the decision. Meanwhile, his teammate Lando Norris signed a deal securing him until 2025, which also reportedly boosts him up to one of the top three earners of the grid. Australian wonderkid Oscar Piastri will take Ricciardo’s place, marking his first season in Formula One.
In a highly anticipated move, Pierre Gasly has shifted from Alpha Tauri to Alpine, signing a multi-year deal and completing their lineup with Esteban Ocon to create an all-French team.
Pierre Gasly has shifted from Alpha Tauri to Alpine, creating an all-French team
Nyck De Vries, 2021 Formula E champion and Mercedes-backed driver, has signed what looks to be a one-year deal in his newly vacant Alpha Tauri seat alongside Yuki Tsunoda. This was somewhat expected after his breakout race in the Italian Grand Prix, standing in for an unwell Alex Albon, wherein he out-qualified Nicholas Latifi and scored points for the team. His placement is also less of a surprise after the FIA refused to bend the super-license rules for Indycar hotshoe Colton Herta, who was being eyed up by Red Bull as a Gasly replacement.
Fernando Alonso made a shock move from Alpine to Aston Martin, and will race alongside Lance Stroll, replacing the sadly retiring Sebastian Vettel.
Alfa Romeo stays the same, with Valtteri Bottas on a contract till 2024, and Zhou Guanyu signing a one-year contract extension.
Alex Albon will race for a second season for Williams, though their journey with Nicholas Latifi has come to an end with his replacement yet to be announced.
Haas will continue with Kevin Magnussen, but they have not yet announced a second driver. Mick Schumacher will be looking to prove he is worthy of the seat for next year as his senior team, Ferrari, is still not accessible for another two years at least.
The end of this year will mark the end of an era, losing Vettel, the youngest-ever world champion and a staple of the past decade, is upsetting for many, and so is the breaking apart of the Pierre and Yuki bromance. Of course, it will also be a big change with the departure of Latifi, though not everyone is devastated by this loss.