The Formula 1 off-season is swinging into high gear as a bunch of big new items have started to come out.
By far the biggest piece of Formula 1 2022 news of them all is Ferrari’s much-anticipated hiring of Fred Vasseur to succeed the departed Mattia Binotto as team boss.
Meanwhile, Mick Schumacher has made his way to Mercedes as a reserve driver and Aston Martin have come in first for a change by announcing the launch date of their new car.
Read on below as SBOTOP rounds up all the latest news and updates from around Formula 1.
It’s official: Fred Vasseur to Ferrari
The reports were true: Ferrari have in fact picked Alfa Romeo/Sauber’s Fred Vassuer to be their new Team Principal.
Vasseur is set to replace Mattia Binotto, who resigned from his post last month, starting on January 9, 2023.
Meanwhile, McLaren Team Principal Andreas Seidl has left the team and is set to replace Vasseur at Sauber in January.
“I am truly delighted and honoured to take over the leadership of Scuderia Ferrari as Team Principal,” Vasseur said in Ferrari’s official announcement on his hiring. “As someone who has always held a lifelong passion for motorsport, Ferrari has always represented the very pinnacle of the racing world to me. I look forward to working with the talented and truly passionate team in Maranello to honour the history and heritage of the Scuderia and deliver for our Tifosi around the world”.
A seasoned veteran of the motorsports game, Vasseur has over two decades’ worth of experience in the sport. He had been Team Principal of Alfa Romeo since 2017 and was the team boss at Renault prior to that.
Vasseur led Alfa Romeo to sixth in the constructors’ championship this past season, the team’s best finish in a decade. He also has a past relationship with current Ferrari No 1 Charles Leclerc, whom he gave his F1 debut back in 2018.
The pressure will now be on Vasseur to improve Ferrari’s Formula 1 2022 odds of claiming their first constructors’ championship in 15 years.
Aston Martin announce 2023 car launch date
Aston Martin came in first, beating the likes of Red Bull and Ferrari – in announcing the launch date for their 2023 car, that is. The team is set to unveil its new car, the AMR 23, on February 13 at the team’s Silverstone base.
The AMR23 will be the first car for new Aston Martin driver Fernando Alonso. The two-time world champion is set to join the team for next year after spending the last two seasons at Alpine.
The 41-year-old Alonso will replace another former world champion in Sebastian Vettel, who retired from Formula 1 at the end of the 2022 season. Lance Stroll, who has been with Aston Martin for the past two years, will partner Alonso in 2023.
Alonso and co will look to improve upon the seventh-place finish that Aston Martin have managed in the constructors’ championship in the last two seasons.
Mick Schumacher joins Mercedes as reserve driver
Mick Schumacher has joined Mercedes as a reserve driver for the 2023 season behind Lewis Hamilton and George Russell, the team confirmed last week.
The 23-year-old Schumacher, who is the son of F1 legend Michael Schumacher, had driven for Haas for the past two seasons, but he was replaced by the more experienced Nico Hulkenberg for 2023.
“Mick is a talented young driver and we’re delighted to have him join the team,” Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff said of Schumacher. “He is a hard worker, has a calm and methodical approach and is still hungry to learn and improve as a driver. These are all important qualities, and we’re excited for him to help us develop the W14.
“We also know that with two years of experience racing in Formula 1 under his belt, he will be ready to step into the car at short notice to replace either Lewis [Hamilton] or George [Russell], should that need arise.”
Schumacher is the second member of the 2022 F1 driver line-up to switch over to a reserve role. Daniel Ricciardo had also been touted for a potential move to Mercedes as a reserve driver but instead returned to Red Bull for that role.
●●●
CHECK OUT OUR BLOG FOR MORE FORMULA 1 STORIES & ODDS
Stay updated with everything sports and betting.
Follow us on social Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
