Alpine to solve Alonso-Piastri dilemma next year says CEO
May 24 - Alpine will "find a solution" to its three-driver dilemma ahead of the 2023 season.
That is the news from Luca de Meo, who is CEO of Renault - the owner of the works Alpine team in Formula 1.
It is now an open secret that two-time world champion Alonso, 40, may not stay with the Enstone team beyond the end of his currently expiring contract.
He has already been linked with Aston Martin, in a move that would open up Alonso's Alpine race seat to reigning Formula 2 champion and team reserve Oscar Piastri.
Esteban Ocon is already under contract for 2023.
"We love Fernando very much," de Meo told the Spanish broadcaster DAZN.
"We are going to have to find a solution for everyone, because we also have Esteban and Oscar, who are very good," he said. "We want to protect our drivers and seek an ideal solution for everyone.
"I think the work that Fernando has done and is doing is incredible."
According to Alonso's friend and former colleague Pedro de la Rosa, de Meo's comments are actually a disappointing sign that Alpine is moving on.
"I was surprised," he is quoted by Diario Sport newspaper. "The question, for me, is whether Fernando would like to continue, not the other way around.
"The plan plan in Formula 1 is the medium-long term, otherwise there are no results. The way for 'El Plan' to work is by having Fernando on the team for several years."
As far as de Meo is concerned, however, having three top drivers to consider is a luxury for Alpine.
"We combined the experience of Alonso with the youth of Ocon and now Piastri enters," he said. "It is a challenge to find a position for the three of them.
"The solution will not be 100 percent pleasant for all three of them, but we believe that we have to give each one of them an opportunity."
According to most insiders, the most likely scenario is that Alonso will leave Alpine, with Australian youngster Piastri joining Ocon at Alpine from 2023.
"We have to protect the three drivers," de Meo said, "and also the one that they say is a super-talent in Piastri.
"Fernando is 41 years old and Piastri is 21. The moment of change will come, but Fernando is a legend and we so cannot treat him as if he was just another Alpine employee."
Luca de Meo also denied suggestions Alpine has effectively stalled in Formula 1, despite earlier grand plans for wins and the title within several years.
"Nobody knows when you are going to be champion," he insisted. "You have to see the progression.
"Three years to set up a competitive team is normal. We saw that with everyone, including Red Bull or Mercedes, that it takes a while."
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Get him drive before he looks elsewhere, his driving history is first class compared to some of the dross in F1 at the moment.
If they truly care about Piastri, they indeed should let Alonso go for him.
I should've mentioned this in my original post, but Ocon is under contract until 2024-end, to be more precise.
ALO is an asset to Renault and seems to be a good team leader. OCO has been kicking around for 5-6 years and perhaps should be challenged by Piastri. Put them in the same car at season end and let the best man win. Uh, don't give me that Ocon has a contract crap. When has that ever mattered? Maybe his mentor, Toto, can find him another job.
Contracts generally get respected & honored until their expiration, so everyone should base things on him being safe.
Alonso should not be discounted because of his age! If you go back in time to when drivers had more sense of humour and were all good friends in the pits while they were fierce competitors on track, Australia's greatest F1 driver Sir (Black) Jack Brabham walked onto the 1966 Dutch Grand Prix grid wearing a false beard and supported by a walking stick, signifying that at 40 years of age he was the oldest driver on the grid. He was on pole and then went on to win that race! Jack Brabham had his final F1 win in the 1970 South African Grand Prix at the age of 44 before he retired from F1 at the end of that year.
So, at 40 years of age, don't write off Fernando Alonso. Great drivers will always be competitive. However, I am an Oscar Piastri fan and would love to see him given a good opportunity in a competitive car.
Il est Important que Fernando Alonzo si il veut continuer en F1 ait une équipe pour l'an prochain , car ce qu'il viens de faire en pilotant pour Alpine en prouvant qu'a 41 ans il avait encore beaucoup a démontré et surtout a apporté encore en F1et il faut lui en donnés les moyens.
Maintenant il y a d'autre écuries qui vont aussi voir partir certains de leurs pilotes je pense tout particulièrement a Aston Martin , chez qui Alonzo avait été avant de venir chez Alpine et chez qui il peut apportés encore quelques astuces au vues de sa carrière , ce dont peu de pilotes peuvent en dire autant .
Je regrette par la fin de carrière de Sebastian Vettel si sa carrière doit se stopper de la sorte ça sera dommage car lui aussi en son temps il a eut une carrière bien complète et de finir je dirais par la petite porte c'est très dommage , mais on aura toujours le souvenir d'une carrière exeptionnelle de sa part
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