Australian Oscar Piastri will join Esteban Ocon to replace Fernando Alonso at Alpine in 2023, the French team announced in a press release on Tuesday.
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“In line with the team’s commitments to the Australian, Oscar will be promoted to racer and will take over the helm from Fernando Alonso from next year,” Alpine said in a statement.
Piastri, 21, was appointed as a reserve driver at Alpine in early 2022 and appears to be the designated successor to Alonso, who announced on Monday he will join Aston Martin next season.
2023 driver line-up confirmed: Esteban Ocon 🤝 Oscar Piastri
After four years as part of the Renault and Alpine family, reserve driver Oscar Piastri will be promoted to a racing seat alongside Esteban Ocon from 2023. pic.twitter.com/4Fvy0kaPn7
— BWT Alpine F1 Team (@AlpineF1Team) August 2, 2022
Piastri has his first experience with the French team, joining the Alpine Academy in 2019 after winning the Formula Renault Eurocup title. The Australian won the Formula 3 Championship the following season, then the 2021 Formula 2 Championship, before becoming a reserve driver for the French team in early 2022.
Alpine boss Otmar Szafnauer assured that Piastri was “more than ready for the switch to Formula 1″. “Oscar is a brilliant and rare talent. We are proud to have promoted and supported him in extremely senior promotion formulas throughout his career,” he said.
With Esteban Ocon, present in the French team since 2020 when it was still called Renault, Piastri will form the Alpine tandem, which is currently 4th in the constructors’ championship.
“Together we believe this duo will give us the continuity we need to achieve our long-term goal of fighting for wins and titles,” said Szafnauer.
Piastri’s rise within Alpine also confirms a generational change for the French team as the Australian will take over the helm from Alonso, who at 41 is almost twice his age.
Alonso, who returned to Formula 1 last year, finished a modest tenth place last season ahead of Esteban Ocon (8th). Also this season “Nando” occupies the provisional tenth place in the world championship.