Deciding on a second driver will be a pressing decision for new Alpine team principal Oliver Oakes when he takes the helm at Enstone after the summer break.
Current driver Pierre Gasly is already confirmed for next season, and will remain with the French team until at least the end of 2026.
However, with Esteban Ocon already ruled out as an option long before he secured his F1 future at Haas, the debate over who should partner Gasly next season has been raging for some time.
Existing reserve driver Jack Doohan is believed to be in prime position for the seat.
Mick Schumacher, who is part of Alpine's endurance set-up, remains a popular choice for fans, whilst Valtteri Bottas, Zhou Guanyu and now Kevin Magnussen will be pushing for the drive.
However, does Oakes' arrival offer the opportunity for a change in direction and a departure from the assumed shortlist?
The 36-year-old was a member of the Red Bull junior programme during his time racing and his links to the Milton Keynes-based team has seen him field a number of its academy prospects over the years, including Liam Lawson and 2024 F2 championship leader Isack Hadjar.
So, will F1's newest team principal throw a spanner in the works and opt for one of those two Red Bull junior drivers?
Let us know who you think will be Pierre Gasly's team-mate at Alpine next season by voting in the latest RacingNews365 poll.
Also interesting:
In the latest episode of the RacingNews365 podcast, Ian, Sam and Nick look back at last weekend's Belgian GP and look ahead to the summer break! George Russell's disqualification is discussed as well as what Red Bull needs to do to prevent McLaren beating it to the constructors’ crown.
Rather watch than listen to the podcast? Click here.
Most read
In this article
Join the conversation!