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Alfa Romeo's choice for Raikkonen and Giovinazzi is understandable, but a shame
Alfa Romeo will be back in the paddock next season with Kimi Raikkonen and Antonio Giovinazzi for the third year in a row. Solid, but at the same time perhaps the least interesting line up of the entire grid. Shouldn't the team have taken more risk?
If you go through the list of drivers that have driven for Sauber over the years, you have to conclude that these are almost all drivers who brought a bag of money or had a connection with the engine supplier. And Sutil and Hulkenberg, too, were safe choices by the time they joined the team.
In fact, you could say that Sauber last took a bit of risk with the driver's choice in 2010, when they suddenly appeared with Kamui Kobayashi and Pedro de La Rosa. However, that was also the result of the sudden departure of BMW as a manufacturer.
Raikkonen and Giovinazzi are a logical choice
The team is now stable and so it makes sense from Sauber's point of view that they have gone for Raikkonen and Giovinazzi again. Raikkonen is popular with fans and gains a lot of media attention, while Giovinazzi's presence at Alfa Romeo and Ferrari keeps the Italians happy.
In addition, in this way you are almost certain that you will not get the most out of the car. With Raikkonen, he is way beyond his best and Giovinazzi has never been known as a great talent. He drove Formula 3 for three years before making the switch to Formula 2, where he immediately came second behind teammate Pierre Gasly in his first year.
New talents have more potential
Although he did get faster (or Raikkonen slower) in 2020 compared to Raikkonen, he has actually shown too little in the past two seasons to justify his place in Formula 1. For Formula 1 and also for Alfa Romeo it would have been more fun if, for example, if Mick Schumacher got given the chance in this car, because he is probably now driving hopelessly at the back with Haas.
Another name from the Ferrari Academy that would not have been out of place here is Robert Shwartzman. The young Russian is known as the fastest talent of his generation. He was only fourth in the final standings of Formula 2 last year, but he won the most races of everyone. What about Callum Ilott (also Ferrari), who was most often on pole position.
These drivers potentially have what Charles Leclerc did for this team in 2018: to rise above the car. At the time, he single-handedly ensured that the team stayed ahead of Toro Rosso in the final stretch of the constructors' championship. With Raikkonen and Giovinazzi, you already know that this is not going to be possible this year.
This article was written and originally published by Pelle on the Dutch edition of GPblog.com.