The renewal of Fernando Alonso with Alpine was a matter of time, at least that is what the boss of the French team, Otmar Szafnauer , said as soon as the Hungarian Grand Prix race was over, the last one before the summer break in Formula 1. However, , the paddock woke up the next morning with one of the news of the season, and that is that the man from Oviedo signed a multi-year contract that ties him to Aston Martin from 2023.
In this way, the two-time world champion will wear the green jumpsuit of the Silverstone team after the withdrawal of another from the ‘old school’, Sebastian Vettel, who announced his retirement from the highest category of motorsport a few days before. Alonso will be in charge of replacing the German, and will have at his side Lance Stroll, the son of the owner of the British team he arrives at.
The departure of the Spanish from Alpine has surprised locals and strangers, and it is that very few thought that he could leave the Enstone project after trusting so much in his development, but, whatever it may be, the French team has wanted to dedicate through its social networks a few words of farewell to the driver who gave him his only two championships, when he was still Renault .
“We wish Fernando the best for his future in Formula 1. Fernando has always been, and always will be, part of the Renault and Alpine family, and we are proud and privileged to have shared so many moments on the track together,” he said. the team a few hours after the official announcement.
“We look forward to finishing the remainder of the 2022 season with Fernando in blue, and will continue to push hard until the last lap in November. The team will announce its driver line-up for the 2023 Formula 1 season in due course,” Alpine said.
Alonso responded to what the team published: “Thank you, team. What a great journey we have made together. I will give everything and enjoy every moment of this season. Push hard until the end! Let’s go Alpine.”
Alonso will leave a free seat in the French team, but the team has a clear favorite to fill the vacancy, and it is none other than Oscar Piastri , who won consecutively in the lower categories until earning the position of reserve driver for the current grade. The Australian, a member of the team’s academy, was already among the possibilities to compete in the Great Circus from 2023 before the Spaniard’s departure, but the midfielder who is now without an owner seems to go for him.
