Two more potential Formula 1 seats for Australian Daniel Ricciardo have been taken after a day of movement ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix.
Pierre Gasly has been released by Red Bull and freed to end his contract with the junior team, AlphaTauri, and will move to Alpine next season.
The opening at AlphaTauri will be filled by Nyck de Vries.
The 27-year-old Dutch driver has a single F1 race under his belt. He drove as a stand-in for Alex Albon of Williams at this year's Italian Grand Prix, finishing in ninth.
The changes are a continuation of free agency in Formula 1 triggered when Fernando Alonso announced a move from Alpine to Aston Martin, and leaves Ricciardo with only two potential seats — Haas and Williams.
Reports have also suggested the West Australian could join Mercedes as a reserve driver, after he mutually agreed to terminate his contract with McLaren.
Ricciardo finished fifth at the Singapore Grand Prix last week.
Gasly will join Esteban Ocon — a childhood friend — and will give Alpine an all-French driver line-up for 2023.
"I'm extremely excited about the new chapter in my life," Gasly said in a statement.
Gasly entered F1 in 2017 joining AlphaTauri, when they were called Toro Rosso, and drove with them for two years before being promoted to Red Bull as Max Verstappen's teammate in 2019.
His stint with the main team lasted just 12 races before he was demoted back to Toro Rosso mid-season.
With AlphaTauri Gasly gave the team just their second victory in history, winning the 2020 Italian Grand Prix.
The Japanese Grand Prix will run on Sunday Australian time, with Verstappen a chance to tie up the championship with victory.
AP/ABC
