Alpine CEO Laurent Rossi says his team are working to ensure both Fernando Alonso and Oscar Piastri are on the F1 grid next year. At 40, Alonso is the oldest driver currently driving in F1, but the Spaniard has largely impressed since returning to the sport with Alpine in 2021 after a two-year hiatus, and has expressed his desire to extend his contract with the French squad, which expires this year. At 21, Alpine's reserve driver Oscar Piastri is yet to make his F1 race debut, but the Australian is very highly rated, having won three junior category titles in successive years, and Rossi said he was keen to ensure both would have a drive for 2023. "[With] Fernando, his contract is over this year, so obviously we are discussing with him, we are building scenarios for him and Oscar," Rossi told media including RacingNews365.com . "The idea is that the two of them are worthy drivers, and we would love them to drive next year. "We are working on scenarios for both of them to drive and scenarios that are very plausible, very sensible, and that we imagine would satisfy both drivers."
Alpine open to Piastri loan
Should Alonso extend his deal with Alpine, there will not be a space for Piastri to drive with the French squad, as Alonso's teammate Esteban Ocon is signed up until 2024. Rossi added that he would be happy to loan Piastri to another team in order to allow him to race and gain experience, but stressed that Alpine are keen to retain the Australian's services in the long term. "I'd be open to loan Oscar out to a team as long as I get him back," Rossi said of the 2021 Formula 2 Champion. "We've invested heavily in Oscar, we believe in him and that's why he's our reserve driver. He's a very promising talent. We would love to fulfil this talent in the team. "So a loan, like many other drivers, starting in another team, to learn the tricks and then coming back to us, will be a good scenario."
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