Pierre Gasly has finally been confirmed as an Alpine driver from the 2023 Formula 1 season on Saturday.

The 26-year-old replaces Aston Martin-bound Fernando Alonso on a multi-year deal and will form an all-French line-up alongside Esteban Ocon at the French outfit.

“I am delighted to join the Alpine family and begin this new chapter in my Formula 1 career,” he said during the announcement.

“Driving for a team that has French roots is something very special. I know the strengths of Alpine having raced against them over the past couple of years and, clearly, their progress and ambition is very impressive."

2023 👊 We're ready for you.@OconEsteban @PierreGASLY pic.twitter.com/QQqcqJx3jK

— BWT Alpine F1 Team (@AlpineF1Team) October 8, 2022

For Gasly, the move represents a key step in his F1 career after becoming stuck at AlphaTauri as part of Red Bull's driver stable, but now he gets his chance to prove himself as an independent driver. 

“I wish to thank Red Bull as this marks the end of our nine-year journey together," he added.

"It is thanks to their trust and support that I became a Formula 1 driver, and what we’ve achieved with Scuderia AlphaTauri over the last years has been very special.

“Looking ahead, I want to give the maximum and utilise all my experience to fight for podiums and ultimately contribute to Alpine’s fight for championships in the future.”

For Alpine, the signing of Gasly is unexpected after a summer that began with expectations that Alonso would continue before his shock decision to join Aston.

Then came the furore around reserve driver Oscar Piastri, who denied a statement announcing him as their new second driver and then won a CRB battle to race at McLaren in 2023.

But team boss Otmar Szafnauer was more than happy to welcome the 2020 Italian Grand Prix winner into his ranks.

“I’m very happy that Pierre will be joining the team for 2023 and beyond,” he said.

“He is already a proven talent within Formula 1, and we are looking forward to harnessing that within the team. Our team has several objectives for the coming seasons and I firmly believe our driver line-up is a great reflection of the team’s high ambitions.

“I trust Pierre and Esteban can, together, motivate the team to continue its progress towards these goals. We would also like to thank Red Bull for agreeing the terms to allow Pierre to take this step."