We are entering more and more towards fiery weeks, in which the line up 2023 are getting closer to being completed and announced.
Alpine wants Gasly, even if…
One of the big question marks is about the Alpine. As you know, the French stable selected a number of pilots for the tests in Hungary. The goal is to try to figure out who among them could be Esteban Ocon's new teammate from next year. The favorite but it is already there and will not be present in Hungary: ed is Pierre Gasly. The AlphaTauri rider already has a basic agreement with Alpine, but the negotiation has not yet unlocked. The problem? It is precisely the stable of Faenza.
AlphaTauri abandons Herta
The Alpine therefore, learning from the Piastri case, plays in advance trying to "block" the best test driver, in case AlphaTauri does not free Gasly. The choice of Faenza team come on Colton herta, even if, according to the latest, the licensing issue led AlphaTauri to drop out of the deal. This was confirmed by Helmut Marko: “It's a shame that people don't realize the value that an American driver like Colton Herta would have, in enhancing F1 in America which will have three races on the calendar next year".
Marko's new plan
With the negotiation linked to Herta skipped, the AlphaTauri is on the hunt for a new pilot that Marko has already spotted. Let's talk about the man of the moment, ie Nyck de vries. The Canadian, after the splendid debut a Monza, is present both on Marko's list (for brought to Faenza) and on that Alpine(in fact he will carry out the tests in Budapest). However, according to the latest reports, AlphaTauri seems to be the team closest to a final agreement: in recent days, in fact, it seems that the same consultant as Red Bull met Nyck De Vries in his offices in downtown Graz.
We're here now
The negotiation, following this meeting, seems to be very close to completion remembering that the former Formula E champion is no longer linked to the Mercedes situation, and could easily sign in your "junior" of Red Bull. If so, Alpine could announce Pierre Gasly.
This move by Marko could have been fatal to ignite the market which is starting, more and more, to move towards a sweet happy ending.
STATEMENT SOURCE: Motorsport.com Italy
