F1 driver line-up 2023: Who is racing on the Formula One grid this season?
THE 2022 F1 season concluded in Abu Dhabi as Max Verstappen became a double World Champion in dominant fashion.
The Dutchman was the class of the field during the 2022 season taking 15 victories despite Ferrari and Charles Leclerc taking the challenge to Red Bull in the early part of the season.
Max Verstappen and Lando Norris will be driving for Red Bull and Mclaren in 2023 season.
Leclerc will be desperate for Ferrari to get their act together and provide him with a season long competitive car as he seeks his maiden world title and Ferrari’s first since 2007.
Lewis Hamilton will be hoping Mercedes have got over the issues that plagued their 2022 season and saw the seven time World Champion go winless for the first time in his career as Totto Wolff’s team slipped behind Red Bull and Ferrari.
With the 2023 Formula One campaign less than a month away, driver line ups have been confirmed and the countdown to pre season testing begins.
Here are the confirmed driver line ups for the 2023 season.
Red Bull
Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez
Reigning world champion Max Verstappen is signed for Red Bull until 2028 while Sergio Perez penned an extension until 2024 after the Monaco Grand Prix.
Red Bull were utterly dominant in 2022 winning 17 of the 2022 race and saw no reason to change their driver line-up for this season as they look to continue their stranglehold on the sport.
Verstappen will be aiming to become a triple World Champion in 2023.
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Mercedes
Lewis Hamilton and George Russell
Mercedes will retain Lewis Hamilton and George Russell for 2023 and will hope their car can be more competitive.
The new regulations for 2022 have cost the team with Red Bull and Ferrari now ahead of the Silver Arrows in the pecking order.
Many believe 2023 could well be Hamilton’s last year in the sport but Mercedes will definitely want to keep him if he wants to continue his glittering career.
Ferrari
Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz
When they linked up in 2021 Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz were the youngest line-up Ferrari had ever had.
Both will race for the Prancing Horse in 2023 and will hope for better from their team who have made a number of errors with their strategy.
Ferrari will need to deliver for their drivers next season or they could be tempted to move elsewhere as they are both out of contract at the end of the year.
AFPDrivers in action at the British Grand Prix.[/caption]
McLaren
Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri
Lando Norris has a contract with McLaren until 2025 and is unquestionably the driver who leads the team.
All the drama had been around the second seat though with McLaren ending the contract of Daniel Ricciardo a year early to bring in fellow Australian Oscar Piastri.
Alpine thought they had an agreement in place for the driver they have backed throughout his career but Piastri signed a deal with McLaren instead.
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Alpine
Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly
Esteban Ocon is tied to the team for 2023 and beyond after he signed a multi-year deal last season after an impressive start.
Alpine were desperate to keep Fernando Alonso but were not willing to budge on offering him a one-year deal which meant he opted to shock them and sign with Aston Martin.
Alpine then announced Oscar Piastri only for him to take to social media and state he wouldn’t be driving for them.
Pierre Gasly has joined the French outfit from Alpha Tauri making it an all French line up.
SplashFernando Alonso is leaving Apline for Aston Martin in 2023[/caption]
Aston Martin
Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll
Fernando Alonso shocked Alpine by letting the world know he was joining Aston Martin to replace the retiring Sebastian Vettel.
The Spaniard joins Lance Stroll who has the safest seat in F1 with his father owning the team.
Aston Martin will hope Alonso can make a difference in helping the team move further forwards on the grid.
Valtteri Bottas is set to continue at Alfa RomeoRex
Alfa Romeo
Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu
Valtteri Bottas left Mercedes for Alfa Romeo last season and signed a deal that is thought to run until 2024.
His current teammate Zhou Guanyu has been signed for 2023 and was retained after a decent rookie season.
Sauber will end their links to Alfa Romeo at the end of 2023 with Audi set to come into the sport in 2026.
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AlphaTauri
Yuki Tsunoda and Nyck de Vries
Following Pierre Gasly’s move to Alpine , Red Bull’s junior team have paired Yuki Tsunoda with Dutchman Nyck De Vries.
Tsunoda is heading into his third season with Alpha Tauri and will most likely take on the role of team leader.
De Vries a Formula E champion and former Mercedes reserve driver is now on the grid full time and impressed in his only race finishing 9th for Williams at the 2022 Monza Grand Prix.
Pierre Gasly left Alpha Tauri for Alpine for the 2023 season.Rex
Williams
Alex Albon and Logan Sargeant
Alex Albon has impressed following his return to the sport and has gotten the maximum out of a car that had been hard to drive in 2022.
Nicholas Latifi left the team at the end of the 2022 season following a disappointing three years with the Woking outfit.
Logan Sargeant makes the step up from GP2 in what is sure to be a huge challenge in a car that has found itself at the back of the grid in recent years.
Haas
Kevin Magnussen and Nico Hulkenberg
Kevin Magnussen returned to Haas and F1 at the beginning of 2022 with the sacking of Russian driver Nakita Mazepin amid the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
The Dane secured his and the teams first pole position at a rain hit qualifying in Sao Paolo.
Nico Hulkenberg returns to the sport after three years out, although did race once for Racing Point in 2020 and twice for Aston Martin at the start of the 2022 season standing in for Sebastian Vettel.
Mick Schumacher has taken on reserve driver duties with Mercedes and Mclaren.
