Australian Formula 1 hopeful Oscar Piastri will be the Alpine team’s reserve driver in 2022.
The 20-year-old from Melbourne is one of the most highly rated drivers in the junior categories and is leading this year’s Formula 2 series with two rounds to go.
Alpine chief executive officer Laurent Rossi said: “Oscar’s natural talent is clear to see.
“We’re proud and privileged to have him as our reserve driver next year.”
Piastri said: “I’ve proved myself in the junior formulas and feel I’m ready for F1.”
Piastri is targeting promotion to a race seat in 2023, when the contract of veteran Alpine driver Fernando Alonso expires.
In July, Rossi told BBC Sport the idea of choosing between Piastri and the two-time world champion for the team’s second seat alongside Frenchman Esteban Ocon for 2023 was “a rich-man’s problem”.
Rossi said: “The next step will be to consistently attend grands prix to fully integrate with the race team, learn what is expected of an F1 driver and be ready for when the opportunity comes. In addition, we look forward to having Oscar’s input and expertise in driving the team forwards next year.”
Piastri won the FIA Formula 3 championship as a rookie in 2020. If he does the same in F2 this year, he will join Ferrari F1 driver Charles Leclerc and Williams’ George Russell, who is moving to Mercedes to partner Lewis Hamilton in 2022, as the only drivers to win the championship in their first season in the category.
