Oscar Piastri confirmed as Fernando Alonso’s replacement at Alpine for the 2023 Formula One season

Oscar Piastri has been confirmed as the replacement driver for Fernando Alonso at Alpine for the 2023 Formula One season .

Piastri, who is Australian, will be Esteban Ocon’s new team-mate next year.

Alpine said in a statement on social media: “After four years as part of the Renault and Alpine family, Reserve Driver Oscar Piastri is promoted to a race seat alongside Esteban Ocon starting from 2023.”

Piastri is a Formula Three and Formula Two champion. He won Formula Two in dominant fashion in 2021. In 2022 he took a year off racing as the team’s reserve driver, but has been in McLaren’s pool of reserves.

Alpine currently sit fourth in the constructors’ standings; four points ahead of rivals McLaren.

Alpine team principal Otmar Szafnauer said he only found out about Alonso’s move to Aston Martin when he read the official press release.

“Yes, the first confirmation I had was the press release,” he told reporters.

“I did ask the question (to Alonso). And I was told: ‘No, no, I haven’t signed anything’. So I was a bit surprised.

“We offered a one plus one deal. And we discussed with Fernando that: ‘look, if next year at this time you’re performing at the same level, of course, we will take you and that could have carried on’. But I think he wanted more certainty independent of performance.”