Top 3 potential replacements for Sebastian Vettel at Aston Martin

Sebastian Vettel has been the talk of the town this season more often than not. The German driver has been in the news either with his social activism endeavors or with his performances on the track that have been splendid or his contentious future as his contract expires at the end of the season.

While Aston Martin has made it explicitly clear that the team is interested in extending its association with Vettel beyond his current contract, the German driver has not shared the same enthusiasm. The level of doubt cemented by the lack of performance from the team has forced Vettel to be a bit reticent in terms of extending his association with the team.

If the German does not sign an extension with Aston Martin, what are the team's options to replace him at the end of the season? In this piece, let's take a look at some of the possible replacements for Sebastian Vettel at Aston Martin.

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Who could replace Sebastian Vettel at Aston Martin?

#3 Oscar Piastri

This name has been doing the rounds a lot this season! There is a very high probability that, one way or the other, Oscar Piastri is going to find a seat in F1 for the 2023 season. There are rumors of him getting a shot at Alpine, where he is the reserve driver. While the Alpine opportunity looks bleak for now, the other possible team that has shown interest is McLaren as the team tries to find a replacement for Daniel Ricciardo.

If Sebastian Vettel does not sign an extension with the team, Aston Martin could look at Oscar Piastri as a viable option. He's young, he's supposed to be the real deal, and he comes at a bargain as compared to Vettel. Piastri might just be the driver Aston Martin might keep an eye on if there is a vacancy for the 2023 F1 season.

#2 Pierre Gasly

Pierre Gasly is one name that will find itself on the shortlist for many teams. The French driver is already a star after his stunning streak of performances in AlphaTauri. The driver already has a win to his name, that too in an AlphaTauri, and to add to it, he has visited the podium multiple times in the last few years. If Aston Martin is looking at a driver to build a team around and who has youth on his side, then Gasly might just be the driver that fits the criteria.

A glaringly obvious question mark that Aston Martin could ask itself is why was Pierre Gasly not considered for a promotion to Red Bull after his second impressive run?

What did the French driver do that the Austrian team would not give him another shot at a race-winning car? Does the Frenchman lack the "team player" aspect in his driving and character? Is there something that makes him a strong midfield driver, but when it comes to making your mark at the front, he falls short?

These are some question marks that could make Aston Martin think twice before signing Gasly as Sebastian Vettel's replacement.

#1 Daniel Ricciardo

Let's get one thing straight, Daniel Ricciardo has not forgotten how to drive. Nor has he passed his prime at just 33 years of age. If there is one thing that has become evident in a few glimpses that we have seen here and there is that when the car is in the right window, Ricciardo can still turn it on. If at McLaren he has been unable to turn things up, then that does not mean he cannot make that happen in any other F1 car.

Daniel Ricciardo has been unable to get comfortable at McLaren and it appears that the team's design philosophy does not hold much coherence with his driving style.

The Australian is worth taking a punt because if Aston Martin has learned anything from Vettel, then it is the fact that the car philosophy holds a huge bearing over the results.

Ricciardo, a proven race winner, fast, marketable, and experienced driver, ticks all the boxes that the team will be looking at. Hence, it would be hard for Aston Martin to pass up on the Australian as a potential replacement for Sebastian Vettel.