Alfa Romeo F1 driver Antonio Giovinazzi's parting shot to Formula 1 is not exactly a friendly good-bye.
Giovinazzi found himself to be the latest young talent to fall victim to a "ruthless" sport driven by the influence of money.
The 27-year-old Ferrari-backed Italian has been dropped by Alfa Romeo for 2022, with the Swiss-based team opting instead to sign the well-financed Chinese rookie Guanyu Zhou. The other candidates for the seat, Formula 2 stars Callum Ilott and Oscar Piastri, are making other plans for 2022.
Ilott, like Giovinazzi a Ferrari Academy product, will race in IndyCar full time for Juncos Hollinger Racing next year rather than remain a Ferrari and Alfa Romeo reserve. Ilott said there is "no point watching other people drive around for another year."
Australian Piastri, meanwhile, will be Alpine's 2022 reserve in Formula 1. Giovinazzi is heading to Formula E.
"Formula 1 is emotion, talent, risk and speed. But when money rules, it is also ruthless," Giovinazzi, who will drive for Jay Penske's Dragon/Penske Autosport team in Formula E next year, said on social media in Italian.
As for Zhou, who is reportedly backed by as much as $30 million in Chinese sponsorship, the deal involves the 22-year-old Formula 2 racer stepping away from the Alpine development program.
Zhou, 22, finished second in the Formula 2 standings this year.
Alfa Romeo team boss Frederic Vasseur told Auto Motor und Sport in regards to the Zhou signing, "It is a great opportunity for us as a team, for the company, for the sponsors, for Formula 1 in general to open up a completely new market in China."
As for Giovinazzi, who is subsequently leaving F1, Vasseur insisted that it's "not his fault for sure" that he is losing the seat.
Giovinazzi has made 59 career starts in Formula 1. He's yet to reach a podium. Giovinazzi's best finish this year is 11th on four different occasions.
"The beginning of the collaboration was a bit difficult, but we have kept him in the team during these seasons and in the end his level of performance has been good," Vasseur said. "The choice we have made is due to a combination of factors—it's not just about him. Sometimes we perhaps expected something better, but that goes for everyone—for the team, for the drivers, for everyone else too."
