Oscar Piastri replaces Fernando Alonso at Alpine for 2023 Formula 1 season

The 2021 Formula 2 champion will partner Esteban Ocon for the 2023 F1 season after Fernando Alonso’s departure

Oscar Piastri has been confirmed as Fernando Alonso’s replacement at Alpine after the two-time world champion joined Aston Martin on Monday.

The 21-year-old, who won Formula 2 last year and is currently a test driver for Alpine, will partner Esteban Ocon for the 2023 season though, rather oddly, has not spoken since the news was announced nor has he posted on social media.

Alpine team principal Otmar Szafnauer said on Tuesday that Piastri’s team were “considering their options”, but the Australian has seemingly not taken long to decide where his future lies.

Amid rumours Piastri was in talks with McLaren, Szafnauer said earlier on Tuesday: “There are some considerations going from a reserve driver contract with options to becoming a racing driver contract. I’m not privy to whatever pre-arrangement he has with McLaren if any at all but I hear the same rumours you do. But I do know he does have contractual obligations to us and we do to him.”

Oscar Piastri has been confirmed as Fernando Alonso ’s replacement at Alpine for 2023 (Getty Images)

Piastri has nine-time Grand Prix winner and fellow Aussie Mark Webber as his manager and the former Red Bull driver had previously stated his protege must be on the F1 grid by next year.

Szafnauer said in this evening’s press release: “Oscar is a bright and rare talent. 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.”

The full statement read: ““As part of his formative F1 journey, Oscar was first promoted to BWT Alpine F1 Team Reserve Driver at the start of the 2022 season and has since been undergoing, under the Team’s guidance and its full financial support, an intensive and comprehensive training programme of private tests in the race-winning A521, the 2021 Alpine F1 car, race support and simulator sessions to prepare him for the next big step into F1.

“Alpine now looks forward to seeing the next stage in his F1 career alongside Esteban Ocon.”

Fernando Alonso has decided to join Aston Martin (PA)

Piastri has enjoyed a string of triumphs in his early stages of his career, winning the 2019 Formula Renault Eurocup and the 2020 Formula 3 Championship as well as last year’s F2 triumph in his rookie season.

He became the sixth driver to win GP2/F2 in his debut year and has in 2022 been testing the 2021 Alpine F1 car, the A521, in locations such as Silverstone and Qatar while waiting in the wings for a spot on the grid to open up.

There was talk of Piastri being “loaned” out to Williams next year but a spot at his home team opened up after 41-year-old Spaniard Alonso surprisingly joined Aston next year on a “multi-year contract”, replacing Sebastian Vettel who announced his retirement from F1 last week.