Alpine wants to wait around until the British GP to choose between Fernando Alonso and Oscar Piastri for the 2023 season.
Alpine F1 team signed 2021 F2 champion Oscar Piastri as their reserve driver for the 2022 championship. As the current contract of Fernando Alonso will expire at the end of the 2022 season, the team has to decide between the two drivers for the 2023 season.
The two-time world champion returned to F1 in the 2021 season with the French team and took a seat alongside Esteban Ocon. Alonso finished the 2021 championship at P10 with 81 points ahead of his teammate at P11 with 74.
The 40-year-old is the oldest driver on the grid and delivered some impressive performance in the 2021 season. Meanwhile, Piastri is a fresh talent with a stellar junior career that includes winning the F3 and F2 titles.
For the Australian to not lose his momentum he needs to get back to racing next year. Therefore, the French team has to choose between the two drivers.
When asked Alpine team principal Otmar Szafnauer reckoned that mid-July would be most likely.
“We haven’t thought that through yet because it’s a little bit early,” he said. “But around Silverstone, we will probably be talking about it.”
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F1 Twitter divided over Fernando Alonso and Oscar Piastri
With Alpine yet to decide over the Spaniard and the Australian, F1 Twitter is divided over its choice of driver for the next season.
The fans have mixed opinions about Alpine’s next year’s lineup.
Basically if the samurai still has 2 points by the British race & Ocon is ahead of him in standings then Alpine will draft in Oscar after Alonso admits for the first time he is no longer a young driver. My suspicion is Oscar will get the gig as nobody wants oldest driver title
— Michjoy (@MrMichjoy) May 16, 2022
They’re gonna pick Alonso. Just wait
— Nathan (@Nathan_1617) May 16, 2022
i’m eating good knowing ocon is safe
— the jeweller (@localsnowfl4ke) May 16, 2022
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