Alfa Romeo is “considering” but won’t “rush” academy prospect Theo Pourchaire into Formula 1 for next season.
The Swiss team already has one empty seat for 2022 after Kimi Raikkonen announced his retirement from F1 at the end of this year on Wednesday.
But, instead, the speculation surrounds the second seat currently held by Antonio Giovinazzi, who is expected to be dropped after three years at the team.
“I’m considering Theo, I don’t know if it is for next year or the future,” Alfa Romeo team boss Fred Vasseur confirmed via Motorsport Week.
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“Theo is part of the family, he is part of the [Sauber] Academy. We are spending a lot of energy on Theo because we are convinced Theo is one of the best ones for the future.
“I don’t know if it will be 2022, 2023 or 2024 but I’m convinced he, at one stage, will be one of the best ones [for the future].”
Pourchaire has impressed during his first year in F2, notably claiming his first pole and victory in Monaco, but Vasseur is keen to not hype up the Frenchman too much.
“We have a contract with Theo, but again, I don’t want to be in a rush with Theo,” he continued.
“Keep in mind he is 18. If you compare him to all the other talents coming into F1 they were much older.
“I don’t want to make any comparison with Lewis [Hamilton], [Nico] Hulkenberg, Nico Rosberg or Charles [Leclerc] and I think it would be a mistake to push him too early.
“He has to do the job in F2 first and then we will have time to discuss later on.
“He is very young, he is 18 and still chasing his driving licence and we have to give him time to do the job. I’m not in a rush but I think he is a very good one [for the future].”
Pourchaire did complete a test with Alfa Romeo after the Hungarian GP, later calling it a “dream come true”, but he too has his priorities in order.
“I’m taking it step-by-step, to be honest,” he told Motorsport.tv.
“I try not to think about F1 at all. I’m staying 200 percent focused on F2, that’s the most important.
“F2, for me, is what can allow me to go to F1, whereas thinking about F1, it can rather keep me from getting there.
“I only think about F2, my current dream is to win in F2, it would be an incredible season.”