Kimi Raikkonen and Antonio Giovinazzi to wait on new Alfa Romeo deals, Fred Vasseur to stay

Alfa Romeo

Raikkonen and Giovinazzi to wait on new Alfa Romeo deals, Vasseur to stay

Vasseur is to sign a new multi-year agreement

Ian Parkes

Thursday 15 July 2021 13:51

Kimi Raikkonen and Antonio Giovinazzi are to be kept waiting on their future with Alfa Romeo, although Fred Vasseur has confirmed he is to remain as team principal.

Alfa Romeo announced on Thursday it is to remain in F1 after signing a new multi-year extension agreement of its partnership with Sauber Motorsport.

Vasseur has previously refused to reveal whether he would be in charge once his own contract expires at the end of this season, but in light of the new deal between Alfa Romeo and Sauber, the Frenchman is now extending his own four-year stay.

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Asked whether he would be signing his own multi-year agreement to continue as team principal, Vasseur replied: "Yes. The reply to the question is yes", although he refused to elaborate.

Raikkonen and Giovinazzi deals on hold

As for drivers Raikkonen and Giovinazzi, Vasseur has announced they will have to wait until beyond the summer break.

Speculation has linked current Haas driver Mick Schumacher with a move across to Alfa Romeo, arguably to allow the Ferrari Driver Academy member to increase his F1 experience at a more competitive team.

Raikkonen and Giovinazzi have both scored only one point each this season for Alfa, with the 41-year-old's form, in particular, a cause for concern.

Addressing the topic of the team's driver line-up for 2022, Vasseur added: "It's far too early. It's nothing to do with Alfa Romeo, the driver choice is the full responsibility of the team.

"We have to take time to discuss this, to decide this. We are not in a rush, I want to see what's happening in F1, with the junior series also.

"I will take the decision in the second part of the season as we go on, not before."