F2 title contender Ilott confirms he has missed out on F1 seat for 2021

Formula 2 championship contender Callum Ilott has announced that he will not be on the Formula 1 grid next year, having missed out on a seat.

Ilott heads into this weekend’s F2 finale in Bahrain second in the championship standings and is 14 points behind title rival and fellow Ferrari junior Mick Schumacher.

The Briton had been linked as a potential candidate for to take one of the seats at Haas and Alfa Romeo for 2021 but Alfa Romeo opted to retain an unchanged pairing of Kimi Raikkonen and Antonio Giovinazzi, while Haas is tipped to sign Schumacher and fellow F2 rival Nikita Mazepin.

Ilott will drive for Alfa Romeo in the post-season Abu Dhabi F1 rookie test having missed out on a chance to make his practice debut at the Eifel Grand Prix with Haas  when Friday’s running in Germany was abandoned due to fog.

On Monday, the 22-year-old confirmed that he will not be graduating to F1 next year, regardless of whether he wins the F2 title or not.

"It is time I announce that I have been told I will not be racing F1 in 2021," Ilott wrote on Twitter.

"Obviously I have known this for a couple weeks now. I am disappointed, but I will just work harder and do what it takes to make sure it happens in 2022.

"Anyway, I have a championship I want to win.”

Ilott’s future beyond the end of the season is uncertain and he indicated earlier in the year that he was unlikely to continue in F2 for a third straight season due to financial reasons.

Ilott would also be prevented from returning to the championship in 2021 if he was to successfully beat Schumacher to the F2 crown.

The UNI-Virtuosi driver has taken five pole positions and claimed three victories so far this season and appeared well-placed to trim Schumacher’s points lead further at the opening round in Bahrain until he clashed with Jehan Daruvala in Sunday’s sprint race and finished towards the back of the field.