Antonio Giovinazzi unsure about his Alfa Romeo future | Planet F1

Antonio Giovinazzi says he has yet to receive any indication about whether his three-year stay with Alfa Romeo will be extended.

What the Italian does know is that he will not have Kimi Raikkonen as his team-mate for a fourth consecutive season, with the veteran Finn having announced he is retiring at the end of this year.

But whether Giovinazzi will also remain is open to doubt, with a number of other drivers having been linked to the Swiss-based squad.

At the forefront of them is 2019 Formula 2 and reigning Formula E champion Nyck de Vries, who has been put forward as a potential team-mate of Valtteri Bottas at Alfa Romeo if the Finn is dumped by Mercedes in favour of George Russell.

De Vries also has strong connections with Mercedes for he is a test and reserve driver for the World Champions and he also raced for them in Formula E.

Giovinazzi, meanwhile, is affiliated to Ferrari and rumours have suggested he could be one of their racers when their World Endurance Championship campaign, in the Le Mans Hypercar class, begins in 2023.

For the moment, however, the 27-year-old has not been given any clues by Alfa Romeo team principal Fred Vasseur about whether he will be retained for 2022, when the new Formula 1 regulations are introduced.

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Asked what he must do to show Vasseur he is worthy of a fourth campaign, Giovinazzi told Formula 1 on the eve of the Dutch Grand Prix weekend: “It’s clear – to convince Fred I need to still go faster, bring home some good results. Then it’s Fred’s decision.

“We’ll see, but for sure my priority is to be here next year and I would like to be with Alfa Romeo.”

Regarding whether he had been given a timeline for a decision, Giovinazzi replied: “Unfortunately not yet, but I’m sure this month or next month will be the month.”

Giovinazzi, who has scored only a solitary point so far this season, at Monaco, is sorry his partnership with Raikkonen will soon be ending.

“Kimi is a great driver, a great World Champion and a special person,” said Giovinazzi. “And especially a really fair person on and off the track.

“For me, he was the best team-mate to start my career in Formula 1. I learned so many things from him and I really enjoyed all these years. We had a great relationship since 2017 when we were at Ferrari.”

 

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