Alpine expects Oscar Piastri to race in Formula 1 next season, with the reigning Formula 2 champion thought to be close to a deal to drive for Williams in 2023.
Piastri is one of F1’s most promising young drivers and won a hat-trick of titles across the Formula Renault Eurocup, Formula 3 and Formula 2 from 2019 to 2021.
He was already under contract at Alpine last year as a junior driver but the team could not give him an F1 race seat because Esteban Ocon is under contract to 2024 and Alpine took up its option for a second year with Fernando Alonso after his F1 comeback.
Piastri was therefore made Alpine’s test and reserve driver with an agreement believed to be in his contract that the team will either find him an F1 race seat for 2023 or release him.
As reported by The Race, Piastri is closing in on a deal to sign for Williams next year to partner Alex Albon.
He is likely to join on loan from Alpine, which does not want to lose the highly-rated Australian permanently.
Alpine team principal Otmar Szafnauer would not confirm that Piastri will join Williams specifically but when asked if he thought Piastri will race in F1 next year, he said: “Yes.”
He later added when asked if that was a guarantee or if Piastri had a pre-contract signed: “We don’t talk about the details of our contracts with the drivers and that’s something that we never do.
“So as much as I’d like to tell you, I don’t think I can.
“But when I do say yes, that’s the plan.”
It has been reported that Piastri may replace Latifi from the 2022 British GP.
A source with good knowledge of the situation told The Race in Baku that a mid-season change may have been suggested at some point but was neither planned nor under discussion.
Latifi himself has flatly denied he would leave the team mid-season and expects to stay until the end of the year.
Williams boss Jost Capito backed that up in the press conference saying: “We don’t have any other plans, both have a contract for this season and our plan is to fulfil that.”
In Montreal, Szafnauer rebuffed the suggestion when asked about Piastri potentially racing in F1 this season, although then softened slightly and simply said he would not rule it out.
“It’s hard for me to predict the future on that,” Szafnauer said initially.
“So I’d like not to, but I don’t have any more knowledge than you do.”
He later added: “If I could predict the future, I’d be in Vegas. But I wouldn’t rule it out.”
One reason for the mid-season debut rumour could be that Piastri’s 2023 deal may be announced at the British Grand Prix.
That event begins at the end of June, which has been suggested as the contractual deadline for Alpine to secure Piastri’s future.
It’s also the race at which Szafnauer has previously said he hopes to be able to confirm its driver plans, although Szafnauer said in Canada that there is “no need to hurry” its options for Piastri and that Alonso’s future may not be resolved until “closer” to the summer break.
Capito also confirmed Piastri is on Williams’ shortlist but denied a deal is done.
