After Red Bull’s agreement to release him from his contract, BWT Alpine have announced Pierre Gasly for their roster beginning in 2023
Following weeks of rumors and speculation, it’s a big weekend for Formula 1’s French team. With the outgoing Fernando Alonso poised for a podium finish, BWT-Alpine finally revealed who will be his replacement. After years within the Red Bull program, Pierre Gasly will be joining the historic F1 team alongside his fellow Frenchman Esteban Ocon.
Said the Frenchman in the official press release.
““I am delighted to join the Alpine family and begin this new chapter in my Formula 1 career. Driving for a team that has French roots is something very special. I know the strengths of Alpine having raced against them over the past couple of years and, clearly, their progress and ambition is very impressive.”
“I wish to thank Red Bull as this marks the end of our 9-year journey together. It is thanks to their trust and support that I became a Formula 1 driver, and what we’ve achieved with Scuderia AlphaTauri over the last years has been very special. Looking ahead, I want to give the maximum and utilise all my experience to fight for podiums and ultimately contribute to Alpine’s fight for championships in the future.”
BREAKING: Pierre Gasly has signed with @AlpineF1Team on a multi-year contract from 2023 onwards.#F1 pic.twitter.com/1ztddsvspD
— Formula 1 (@F1) October 8, 2022
The 26-year-old is no stranger to championship success. Beginning his career in karting, competing for Sodikart, he had an average finish of 7.16 en route to the 2009 European Championship in KF3. He placed 3rd in the 2011 French F4 Championship and captured the Formula 2.0 Eurocup two years later. The success continued with Gasly capturing the 2016 GP2 Driver’s Championship and placing 2nd in Super Formula the following year. That resume led him to be named test driver to what was then known as Scuderia Toro Roso before making his full-time debut in F1 in 2018.
Despite victory in the 2020 edition of the Gran Premio Heineken d’Italia, the Frenchman has only scored two other podiums over his five-year career. With his highest championship placement a 7th in 2019, this move to BWT-Alpine could be viewed as a step back. But how much of that is down to Alpine and AlphaTauri’s placement on the grid? And with Gasly just 26 the French team has two drivers with which they can build with for years to come.
Said Otmar Szafnauer, the Team Principal at BWT Alpine:
“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. 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.”
The Current Formula 1 Grid for 2023:
| Red Bull | Max Verstappen | Sergio Perez |
|---|---|---|
| Ferrari | Charles Leclerc | Carlos Sainz |
| Mercedes | Lewis Hamilton | George Russell |
| Alpine | Esteban Ocon | Pierre Gasly |
| McLaren | Lando Norris | Oscar Piastri |
| Alfa Romeo | Valtteri Bottas | Zhou Guanyu |
| Haas | Kevin Magnussen | TBC |
| Aston Martin | Fernando Alonso | Lance Stroll |
| AlphaTauri | Yuki Tsunoda | Nyck de Vries |
| Williams | Alex Albon | TBC |
The battle between Ocon and Gasly will be one of the inter-team battles to watch next season. If both can elevate their game combined with improvements in Alpine’s reliability, how far can the French duo take F1’s French team?
