The 2023 Formula 1 season started just three months ago. Max Verstappen is currently the real dominator of this vintage, with a Red Bull that seems to be absolutely impregnable. Precisely for this reason, many teams are already starting to think about next season, pondering which driver from their line up to confirm.
Many pilots expiring
At the end of 2023, at least at the moment, as many as seven drivers would say goodbye to Formula 1. We're talking about: Hamilton, Magnussen, Hulkenberg, de Vries, Tsunoda, Zhou and Sargeant. Many riders, but all with very different situations. In fact, if on the one hand there are those, like Hamilton, who are now one step away from renewal, some are already starting to have the first doubts about a hypothetical stay in view of next season.
Hamilton, there are no longer any doubts about him
There now seems to be no doubt about him. Lewis Hamilton, according to what was stated both by team principal Wolff and by himself, should renew his contract with Mercedes – at least until 2025. It is therefore a two-year extension, strongly desired by the seven-time world champion. “It will be very soon” – Toto confirmed in an interview Wolff, now putting an end to the matter. Hamilton has demonstrated, and continues to do so, that I absolutely don't want to give up and – with a strong machine – to still be able to make a difference. With him, a car that seems to be going strong and a very confirmed player Russell (who among other things recently signed the extension), Mercedes can really start to scare everyone in view of the next few years.
Zhou: will it be renewal?
At Alfa Romeo instead the man to watch is Guanyu Zhou. The Chinese isn't having a bad season at the moment, on the contrary. Unlike 2022 - when in the first races Bottas was ahead of him with great ease - it seems that Zhou is showing off the year of experience gained in the circus. The results, as also in the case of the Spanish GP, are arriving – without forgetting the car factor which makes all the difference in the world. For him, barring sensational twists, there should be no problems with the renewal, even if the arrival of Audi - starting from 2026 - could be quite scary.
De Vries among the expiring drivers closest to farewell
Inside Alpha Tauri however the situation is very delicate. Like last season, the Faenza team is going through a period of great difficulty. The driving duo has not particularly shone at the start of the season, but the car's performance has not given great guarantees. If on one hand Tsunoda doesn't seem to be in the slightest in question, the question marks come up Nyck de Vries. The Dutch driver is still chasing the first points of the season and the pressure is starting to be felt. Over the last few weeks the name of Daniel Ricciardo had been circulating, which would have could have taken de Vries's place already during the current season. Helmut denied everything Marko, that however, he confirmed that de Vries is under observation. The Dutchman, therefore, cannot be wrong: everything is at stake in the next races and he knows very well that entering the points zone for a weekend, could be the fundamental weapon to stay at least in 2024. If it doesn't give guarantees, at AlphaTauri the hottest name is that of Lawson.
Sargeant, will the “trial year” wildcard be worth it?
In Haas instead both drivers are out of contract. We are talking about two men with great experience in the world of Formula 1, with Steiner who did not hide his desire to continue with both. The Haas team principal, after the experience he defined as a failure with Mazepin and Mick Schumacher, strongly believes that experience could be fundamental for his team, which to date has seemed to be in a bit of difficulty in some races. Just as Logan is undoubtedly in difficulty Sergeant, whose contract expires at the end of 2023. The renewal is clearly not a done deal, as the first points of the season are still missing, but the car certainly does not give the driver who has just arrived from Formula 2 the opportunity to get there easily in every competition. His nationality, combined with the fact that he is a Williams Academy driver and the year of adaptation, however, they should allow Sargeant to stay at least for another year alongside Alexander Albon.
We are only at the beginning of the season and anything can still happen. Will there be some big twist? All that remains is to find out.
