AlphaTauri will keep Pierre Gasly and Yuki Tsunoda together for another season as Formula One teammates in 2022.
Last year's Italian Grand Prix winner Gasly was joined by rookie Tsunoda this season. While Tsunoda's form has been patchy, Gasly has been one of the standout performers in the midfield once again, claiming a podium at this year's Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
Gasly's only likely other destination would have been a return to Red Bull, but that option was closed off when the team extended Sergio Perez for another season. Gasly was demoted from Red Bull to AlphaTauri (then known as Toro Rosso) in mid-2019 after a slow start with the team.
AlphaTauri is excited by the prospect of keeping the duo together going into 2022, which is set to feature a sweeping revamp of F1's aerodynamic rules.
"Consistency and stability are crucial heading into the new era of F1, with the introduction of the 2022 regulations," the team's announcement said. "The team believes that the current duo will be able to deliver good results, having already worked well together in 2021."
The announcement also credited Gasly's performances and the fact he has taken on a team leader role this year.
There are only a handful of spots on the 2022 grid yet to be confirmed. Haas is yet to reveal its own lineup, although it is expected to continue with Nikita Mazepin and Mick Schumacher. The identity of Valtteri Bottas' teammate at Alfa Romeo and George Russell's replacement at Williams are also yet to be revealed.