Alpine have yet to comment since Piastri’s comments that their reserve driver will not race for them in 2022. Alpine currently sit fourth in the constructors’ standings, four points ahead of McLaren.
Alpine team principal Szafnauer claimed he only found out about Alonso’s move to Aston Martin when he read the official press release. “Yes, the first confirmation I had was the press release,” he said. “I did ask the question [to Alonso], and I was told: ‘No, no, I haven’t signed anything’. So I was a bit surprised.
“We offered a one plus one deal. And we discussed with Fernando that: ‘look, if next year at this time you’re performing at the same level, of course, we will take you and that could have carried on’. But I think he wanted more certainty independent of performance.”