Alpine F1 team open to Piastri loan deal for 2023

The reigning Formula 2 champion has been sidelined from any racing this season thanks to his Alpine Academy deal and the team having two race drivers in Esteban Ocon and Fernando Alonso.

Instead he's been placed in a beefed up test and development driver role that will include taking part in all tests and simulator sessions and sitting in on debriefs during race weekends.

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That may suffice for 2022, however it's unlikely the young Australian will be happy to spend another season on the sidelines in 2023.

Ocon still has three more seasons on his current deal including this one, which means the only way Piastri could land at Alpine is if Alonso, who is out of contract at the end of the year, is moved aside.

However, Alonso made it clear over the Australian Grand Prix weekend that he plans to continue racing for "two or three years".

Alpine CEO Laurent Rossi said he wasn't surprised by Alonso's comments and that it is too early in the season to be making decisions about the 2023 driver line-up.

He also said Alonso's future doesn't necessarily change the plan for Piastri.

"It's normal for Fernando to not project himself only until the end of this year," said Rossi.

"It's normal and as long as he drives so well, if I were him I would just keep on driving.

Piastri (centre) is attending events with Alpine but has no route into a race seat unless Alonso moves aside

Photo by: Carl Bingham / Motorsport Images

"It's a bit early in the season for us to position any driver anywhere in our team as well as in the other teams. So I didn't make too much of that.

"We're going to develop Oscar through the programme, it doesn't change anything.

"Then we'll make sure