Alpine has confirmed Oscar Piastri will race alongside Esteban Ocon in Formula 1 from 2023.
The Australian, who has been linked with the team since 2020, was the expected choice following the shock decision by Fernando Alonso to join Aston Martin next season.
However, earlier on Tuesday, the promotion from reserve driver seemed a little less certain due to speculation Piastri had signed a pre-agreement with McLaren to replace Daniel Ricciardo.
Also Read:
That has now all been put to bed though, with Alpine making it official that last year’s F2 champion will get his first chance in F1 “from next year onwards”.
“Oscar is a bright and rare talent,” team boss Otmar Szafnauer said in a statement.
“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,” he concluded.