Alpine boss reveals they held talks with Daniel Ricciardo

Daniel Ricciardo received’t be racing in F1 subsequent yr (Photograph: Getty)

Alpine workforce principal Otmar Szafnauer has revealed that the workforce held talks with Daniel Ricciardo over a race seat for 2023 earlier than finally signing Pierre Gasly.

After shockingly shedding each Fernando Alonso and Oscar Piastri over the summer season, to Aston Martin and McLaren respectively, Alpine have been on the hunt for a brand new driver to companion Esteban Ocon for subsequent season.

The listing of candidates was lengthy and wide-ranging, with Szafnauer claiming at one stage that they have been 14 drivers underneath severe consideration.

Ricciardo who was compelled out of McLaren to make method for Piastri was all the time regarded as one of many frontrunners for the seat, given his robust status as an eight-time race winner, even when the previous two years have been troublesome for him.

The 33-year-old additionally had robust ties to Alpine, having pushed for the French workforce from 2019 to 2020 after they have been generally known as Renault, although there have been rumours that his departure to McLaren had damaged that bridge.

In the long run, Gasly emerged because the favorite and was introduced as an Alpine driver throughout final weekend’s Japanese Grand Prix, with Mercedes reserve driver Nyck de Vries changing him at AlphaTauri.

However Szafnauer has now confirmed that Ricciardo was certainly one of many drivers on the shortlist and revealed that there have been talks over the Australian returning to the workforce.

Pierre Gasly, second from proper, will race for Alpine subsequent season (Photograph: Alpine)

‘Initially [of the search for a driver] we did have discussions with a couple of drivers, together with Daniel,’ Szafnauer mentioned.

‘[But] Pierre meets the standards to a tee – he’s skilled, quick and younger.

‘So when it grew to become evident Pierre was a chance, we made our shortlist even shorter.’

Shortly after Gasly’s transfer was introduced, Ricciardo confirmed that he could be taking a sabbatical for 2023, with the favored driver not within the working for the 2 vacant seats left on the grid at Haas and Williams.

He mentioned: ‘The truth now's I received’t be on the grid in ’23. I feel it’s now simply attempting to set-up for ’24.

‘I feel there might be some higher alternatives then, in order that’s actually what all this confirms and now the place the sights are set.

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