sports

Who Are The 2023 F1 Reserve Drivers?

(Photo by Robert Szaniszló/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Published Mar 30, 2023

Are you wondering who the 2023 F1 reserve drivers are? We have you covered!

Drivers, start your engines! We are only a few weeks out from the 2023 F1 season, set to kick-off in Bahrain in early March. With racers heading to Sakhir at the end of this month for testing, teams have submitted their final rosters for their drivers and reserve drivers.

In Formula 1, each team is required to have a reserve driver in-case their primary driver cannot race that day. Some teams supply their roster with more than one reserve driver, but all teams must have at least one. Here are the F1 reserve drivers for 2023.

1. Red Bull

Race Drivers: Max Verstappen, Sergio Perez
Reserve Drivers: Daniel Ricciardo, Liam Lawson

While Verstappen and Perez will be the featured drivers for Red Bull this season, Daniel Ricciardo and Liam Lawson will stand-in as reserve drivers. Lawson finished in third place overall at the end of the 2022 F2 championship and has shown great promise. At only 21 years old he has a long career ahead of him.

2. Ferrari

Race Drivers: Charles Leclerc, Carlos Sainz Jr.
Reserve Drivers: Antonio Giovinazzi, Robert Shwartzman

While Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz Jr. remain the drivers for Ferrari, Antonio Giovinazzi and Robert Shwartzman will step in as reserves. Giovinazzi made his F3 debut when he was only 19 years old and has been climbing the ranks of Formula 1 racing since. Shwartzman finished in 2nd place overall at the end of the 2021 F2 season and at only 23 years old has already been a test and reserve driver in F1.

3. Mercedes

Race Drivers: Lewis Hamilton, George Russell
Reserve Driver: Mick Schumacher

Mercedes is sticking with the GOAT of racing to fill their head driver seat; Lewis Hamilton. Interestingly enough, Mercedes only has one reserve driver for this season, Mick Schumacher. Schumacher has been racing professionally since 2015, reacing F2 in 2019. In 2020, he claimed the F2 championship while simultaneously being a test-driver for the Team Haas.

4. Alpine

Race Drivers: Esteban Ocon, Pierre Gasly
Junior Driver: Jack Doohan

Many people assumed that 20 year old racing phenom Jack Doohan would make the jump to being a reserve or test driver for Alpine this year, but he has his sights set on F2. He finished last season in 6th place and is hungry for a top 5 finish. There is a very real chance we see Jack Doohan on the F1 track in the near future.

5. McLaren

Race Drivers: Lando Norris, Oscar Piastri
Reserve Drivers: Alex Palou, Mick Schumacher

F1 superstar Lando Norris will remain the main race driver for McLaren alongside Oscar Piastri. Unlike most reserve drivers who come from the F2 pipeline, Alex Palou was racing in the IndyCar series since 2020. He won that series in 2021, and placed 5th in 2022. This will be his first year as a reserve driver in Formula 1. Mick Schumacher (as noted above) is also a reserve for Mercedes but can also step in for McLaren if needed due to the two team's engine supply relationship.

6. Alfa Romeo

Race Drivers: Valtteri Bottas, Zhou Guanyu
Reserve Drivers: Theo Pourchaire

Standing in for the main race drivers on team Alfa Romeo are Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu. Quietly sitting as a reserve driver waiting for his moment is french driver Theo Pourchaire, a racing prodigy. At only 19 years old he finished second in the F2 Championship last season. There is no doubt in my mind that we will see Pourchaire as a main driver in the very near future.

7. Aston Martin

Race Drivers: Fernando Alonso, Lance Stroll
Reserve Drivers: Felipe Drugovich, Stoffel Vandoorne

Aston Martin will be staying with Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll as their main-stay race drivers for the 2023 F1 season. 22 year old Felipe Drugovich will be Aston Martins feature reserve driver. Drugovich won the F2 championship last season while simultaneously being a reserve driver for Aston Martin. There is no question that Drugovich can repeat in F2, but can he get it done in F1?

8. Haas

Race Drivers: Kevin Magnussen, Nico Hulkenberg
Reserve Driver: Pietro Fittipaldi

Headlining the Haas team for the 2023 F1 season are Kevin Magnussen and Nico Hulkenberg. Stepping up as a reserve driver is Pietro Fittipaldi. Fittipaldi has been a reserve driver for Haas since 2019, and was a featured driver in two races in 2020. There is no telling if Fittipaldi will see the F1 track this season, but he does have experience if called upon.

9. AlphaTauri

Race Drivers: Yuki Tsunoda, Nyck de Vries
Reserve Driver: N/A

As of right now, AlphaTauri does not have a reserve driver listed, but will enter the season with Yuki Tsunoda and Nyck de Vries as their main drivers. de Vries has been a reserve driver for in F1 since 2020, but he has earned his wings and will be a full time driver for team AlphaTauri.

10. Williams

Race Drivers: Alexander Albon, Logan Sargeant
Reserve Driver: N/A

Like AlphaTauri, Team Williams has not yet announced an official reserve driver for their 2023 season. Logan Sargeant will be making his much anticipated debut as an F1 driver however. The 20 year old finished 4th overall in the F2 championship last year for Carlin. This will be Sargeant first chance to show his skills on the highest level.

Slide 1 of 3