Oscar Piastri will replace the departed Fernando Alonso for the 2023 season, Alpine have announced.
The French team were left with a hole in their driver lineup when Aston Martin snapped up the Spaniard to replace the retiring Sebastian Vettel. But now they have room to promote reserve driver Piastri, who did not land a seat in Formula 1 for this season despite winning the F2 championship the previous year.
Alpine were not prepared to have to sign a new driver, as they only learned about Alonso's impending departure when the news of his Aston Martin move was made public. But they had Piastri already contracted and on hand to make the smooth transition.
"As part of his formative F1 journey, Oscar was first promoted to BWT Alpine F1 Team Reserve Driver at the start of the 2022 season," said the team in a statement.
"He has since been undergoing, under the team's guidance and its full financial support, an intensive and comprehensive training programme of private tests in the race-winning A521, the 2021 Alpine F1 car, race support and simulator sessions to prepare him for the next big step into F1. Alpine now looks forward to seeing the next stage in his F1 career alongside Esteban Ocon."
Team chief Otmar Szafnauer added: "Oscar is a bright and rare talent. We are proud to have nurtured and supported him through the difficult pathways of the junior formulae. Through our collaboration over the past four years, we have seen him develop and mature into a driver who is more than capable of taking the step up to Formula 1.
"As our reserve driver he has been exposed to the team at the track, factory and testing where he has shown the maturity, promise and speed to ensure his promotion to our second seat alongside Esteban. Together, we believe the duo will give us the continuity we need to achieve our long-term goal of challenging for wins and championships."
Szafnauer had hinted that the young Australian was their top choice earlier in the day. "Oscar is our number one preferred candidate. And that's what we're going to do," he told Autosport, though there were suggestions that Piastri's mentor and commercial manager Mark Webber was planning on striking a deal with McLaren.
Interestingly, there was no comment from Piastri in Alpine's official announcement. His social media accounts were also quiet, while fans pointed out that the news had broke during the middle of the night for Australian fans, raising suspicions that Alpine may have promoted the F2 champion without his knowledge.
