Zhou already has a number and three F1 teams change their name for 2022

Formula 1 will debut a new generation of single-seaters in the 2022 season due to the change in regulations, but it will not be the only novelty that will arrive at the Grand Circus in the next campaign.

The FIA has published the official list of drivers and teams for 2022 and, although the number of participants remains the same, some names will vary. The biggest novelty is the debut as the main driver of Guanyu Zhou , who will do so with Alfa Romeo and the number 24 on the front and back of the Swiss single-seater.

The Chinese will be the only rookie in F1 next year, however Alex Albon returns to the top flight. The Thai will be with Williams and the usual number 23 that he already wore at Toro Rosso and Red Bull before running out of a seat in the energy drinks structure.

Valtteri Bottas, for his part, will change the black Mercedes suit for that of Alfa Romeo, keeping his number 77, and it will be George Russell who will inherit the car in the world champion team in 2022, with the same number 63 that he had in Williams.

And the other big change is that of Max Verstappen, who, unlike his predecessor Hamilton, will wear the number 1 on his car as world champion, replacing his classic 33.

The rest of the drivers will keep their numbers, and will compete in the same teams as they did in 2021, but there are changes in the names of some structures.

F1 team name changes for the 2022 season

Ferrari says goodbye to the Mission Winnow surname from 2022, the main sponsor that has been present on the bodywork of the Maranello single-seater since the 2018 Japanese GP. The first time this name was officially introduced to the team was in 2019 and, after three years, he will disappear from the Scuderia.

Mattia Binotto himself already warned of this could happen, although he stated that Philip Morris would continue to be linked to Ferrari. One of the reasons that Mission Winnow is not present in the Italian nomenclature is that tobacco advertising is not allowed in European races.

Another big change in the list will take place in Haas, who add to the beginning of their name the sponsorship of Uralkali , the company of Nikita Mazepin’s father. Thus, the American team will officially be called Uralkali Haas F1 Team.

The departure of Honda from F1 will also lead to a modification in another team, and AlphaTauri will no longer have the name of the Japanese from 2022. The structure of Faenza and its older brother, Red Bull, before the dismissal of the power units Japanese, will carry a powertrain called Red Bull Powertrains.

The last to undergo a change in its name will be Alfa Romeo , which will become Alfa Romeo F1 Team ORLEN.

Alpine, for its part, will change its company name, since in 2021 it still retained Renault . In the coming season, the French team will be Alpine Racing Limited, but its nomenclature for the Formula 1 championship remains intact.

The 2022 F1 season will start on March 20, with the Bahrain Grand Prix. However, the pre-season tests will take place in Barcelona, from February 21 to 25, and at Shakir’s own circuit, from March 10 to 12.

Drivers and teams participating in the 2022 Formula 1 season