Alpine has confirmed its roster of junior driver talent for the 2021 season, including three drivers who will race in Formula 2.
Christian Lundgaard – the longest-serving member of the programme which, like the F1 team, was formerly known as the Renault Sport Academy – and Guanyu Zhou will continue in F2 with the same teams as before.Zhou, who finished sixth in the championship last year, enters his third season with Virtuosi. Lundgaard, who came seventh, remains at ART. They are joined by Formula 3 champion Oscar Piastri, whose promotion to F2 with Prema was announced previously.
Two other Alpine-backed drivers will race in Formula 3 this year. Caio Collet and Victor Martins will both race for MP. Martins is returning to Alpine’s young driver squad having previously been dropped from it at the end of 2019, before beating Collet to the Formula Renault Eurocup title last year.
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2021 Formula 2 grid so far
| Team | Car | Driver |
|---|---|---|
| ART | 1 | Theo Pourchaire |
| ART | 2 | Christian Lundgaard |
| Campos | 1 | Ralph Boschung |
| Campos | 2 | Gianluca Petecof |
| Carlin | 1 | Jehan Daruvala |
| Carlin | 2 | Dan Ticktum |
| Charouz | 1 | TBC |
| Charouz | 2 | TBC |
| DAMS | 1 | Marcus Armstrong |
| DAMS | 2 | Roy Nissany |
| Hitech | 1 | Liam Lawson |
| Hitech | 2 | Juri Vips |
| HWA | 1 | Matteo Nannini |
| HWA | 2 | Alessio Deledda |
| MP | 1 | Lirim Zendeli |
| MP | 2 | TBC |
| Prema | 1 | Robert Shwartzman |
| Prema | 2 | Oscar Piastri |
| Trident | 1 | TBC |
| Trident | 2 | TBC |
| Virtuosi | 1 | Felipe Drugovich |
| Virtuosi | 2 | Guanyu Zhou |
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Formula Two
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Aiii (@)
10th February 2021, 13:38
I know a handful of Renault F1 juniors eventually made it to F1, mostly after leaving the programme and joining a team on their own, like Aitken did last year, but I do hope that they’ll break that trend soon. It would be a shame to see any of these three miss out on F1, they’ve got quite the talent between the three of them.
Jockey Ewing
10th February 2021, 16:00
Then Alpine has a quite good junior lineup now. I think it’s quite strong actually, considering that they have only 2 seats at F1.
The Edge (@the-edge)
10th February 2021, 18:32
That’s the exactly the argument McLaren just gave for not having any current official juniors. What’s the point when they’re not planning on any any free seats
I really hope F1 finds its other 2 teams, 20 cars are enough, but there has to be more chance for new talent
It’s a real shame teams like Haas rely on pay drivers like Mazapin when better talent is available
Jockey Ewing
10th February 2021, 21:11
Yes, I don’t know, probably if there is no promotion possibility, they only should support talents until F3 or F4 level in racing, and then with management and connections. At a lower level they could give them a bit stronger than usual support for less, and talent will likely become obvious at that level either. Many F1 drivers had skipped F2.
As I see even at lower levels there are struggling teams, despite of those lower levels are quite specs series, like HWA struggled results wise at 2020’s F2 despite of having the decent Markelov, and possible talent Pourchaire (for 2 races).
But I guess, F1’s costs are cascading downwards to the development series, because there are common managers, there is the money, and everyone is used to get it.
Michael
11th February 2021, 23:06
If McLaren gave that argument they are not a very joined up organisation. Yes they only have 2 F1 racing seats but there is also the Indycar team which runs 2 to 4 cars. But to be fair there probably aren’t that many good drivers to go round and McLaren have always been a bit more selective trying to support only the most talented drivers in junior series – Heidfeld, Hamilton, Magnussen, Vandoorne and now Norris. Red Bull, Ferrari, Mercedes, Alpine even Williams seem to go for quantity over quality and have hoovered up most of the talent already.
ppzzus (@ppzzus)
10th February 2021, 16:51
Genuinely curious how Nannini got a drive in f2.
Jockey Ewing
10th February 2021, 20:36
His teammate, Deledda is likely much weaker, he is 26 years old, not scored a single point at Italian F4 in 20 races at 2018, and not really had better results since then. At least Nannini is young (17), but you are right, he not had great results at his previous F3 season. Although his team, Jenzer Motorsport was at the second last place at the teams championship.
Looks like their F2 team, HWA (Racing Point livery, so I guess there is or was some connection) needs money because their previous season was not succesful at all, despite of having the seasoned and quite proven (at F2 level) Markelov for a full season, Giuliano Alesi for an almost full season, and Theo Porchaire who is considered to be a new French talent, for 2 races, and Jake hughes for one race.
I think Nannini might prove himself in some years, as his promotions happened quite rushed despite of his young age, but likely his real level would be still F3. While in the case Deledda I hope at least that he will be safe, and not awkward at least.
Jockey Ewing
10th February 2021, 21:13
ot sorry Jake Hughes
Andy F
11th February 2021, 10:48
There’s a worrying lack of British talent in F2 this year, other than Dan Ticktum..
Manox (@marussi)
11th February 2021, 19:08
A quite good grid but deledda, nanini and Nissany doesn’t really belong on the grid… Especially deledda.