Yahoo Autos Alpine, AlphaTauri Confirm Formula 1 Driver Changes for 2023
Two more Formula 1 seats for 2023 were locked down on Friday, as Alpine sealed its deal for Pierre Gasly and Nyck de Vries was picked for Gasly's seat at AlphaTauri.
The outcome flew in the face of belief earlier this summer that Oscar Piastri was on his way to Alpine, while AlphaTauri had Gasly contracted to a 2023 seat.
De Vries' big break came in Italy, where he replaced an ill Alexander Albon and finished eighth for Williams.
Pierre Gasly will join Alpine’s Formula 1 team in 2023 with his place at AlphaTauri to be taken by Nyck de Vries.
Gasly will move away from Red Bull’s stable after a near-decade tenure that has had swathes of success and moments of failure.
De Vries, who has won titles in Formula 2 and Formula E, has been on the market for several years but has been picked up by AlphaTauri following his strong unexpected debut with Williams in Italy.
Once Thought Unlikely Outcome
De Vries at Red Bull’s junior team and Gasly at Alpine would have been a preposterous thought as little as three months ago.
Alpine was striving to hand Fernando Alonso a one-year extension, had Oscar Piastri waiting in the wings, while AlphaTauri had Gasly contracted to a 2023 seat. But Alonso opted to sign a multi-year Aston Martin deal, while Alpine junior Piastri penned a two-year McLaren contract that shocked Alpine and prompted a court case that was settled in McLaren’s favor.
Alpine zeroed in on Gasly but needed Red Bull to find a suitable replacement for the AlphaTauri camp in order for the Frenchman to be released.
Red Bull has traditionally filtered its young drivers through to AlphaTauri but faced a paucity of options, with its drivers in Formula 2 either underperforming or not yet ready.
An attempt was made to secure IndyCar star Colton Herta a Super License but this was rebuked, and instead Red Bull’s focus turned to de Vries.
The Dutchman will consequently join Yuki Tsunoda at AlphaTauri for his first full season while Gasly will partner compatriot Esteban Ocon at Alpine.
Gasly Gets His Chance
Gasly was signed to Red Bull’s young driver program at the end of 2013, following a title in Formula Renault Eurocup, without which he would have lacked the finances to continue competing.
Gasly first linked up with AlphaTauri, under its Toro Rosso guise, in late 2017 and was afforded a chance at Red Bull Racing for 2019, following Daniel Ricciardo’s exit. But a series of poor results and incidents prompted Red Bull to swing the axe mid-season and demote Gasly to Toro Rosso.
However, Gasly remained resolute and impressed with his response, memorably claiming a podium in Brazil, before executing a shock victory with AlphaTauri in Italy a year later.
He has regularly spearheaded AlphaTauri’s charge but the squad has stagnated through 2022 and is only ninth in the championship. Gasly has scored just 23 points, compared to 110 in 2021, leaving him effectively treading water, a trait that risked continuing into 2023.
