Pierre Gasly's move to Alpine for the 2023 Formula 1 season is now official as another piece of the driver market puzzle is solved. Alpine had been looking to fill the Fernando Alonso-shaped hole for next term since August and were publicly rejected by own junior driver Oscar Piastri - who decided to go to McLaren instead having not been offered a race seat in the first place. Gasly partners incumbent Esteban Ocon to form F1's first all-French driver line-up since 1994, with both drivers being one-time Grand Prix winners - Gasly winning the 2020 Italian Grand Prix and Ocon emerging victorious at Hungary in 2021. Team boss Otmar Szafnauer is confident that Gasly will form a formidable line-up alongside Ocon.
Alpine on signing Gasly
"I’m very happy that Pierre will be joining the team for 2023 and beyond. He is already a proven talent within Formula 1, and we are looking forward to harnessing that within the team," explained boss Szafnauer. "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." Renault Group CEO Luca de Meo added that the team was "proud to present an all-French line-up. "Our roots are in France, and Alpine was born in Normandy, so this is a serendipity of sorts," he said. "Both will drive the team and the Group forward and, I hope, we can become a symbol of pride for France." Gasly was born in Rouen, in February 1996 with Ocon hailing from nearby Evreux in September of the same year. Both Rouen and Evreux are in the northern French region of Normandy.
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