Marko Hanželic
Three championship titles in three consecutive years, the last in direct substructures of Formula 1, were not enough to Oscar Piastria secured the job of a regular Formula 1 racer for this season. He was left with only a consolation prize, the role of official test driver at Alpine.
No matter what, Piastres says: "It won't be a lost year." The Australian continues: “Of course, it goes without saying that I would much rather be among the twenty who will perform regularly in F1. But in 2022, I can still learn a lot. I can get used to the race car without being under constant pressure. I think this can be a big advantage for the rest of my career. "
V Alpine also has the opportunity to closely monitor the development of a whole new generation of racing cars and draw on the experience of two regular Formula 1 drivers, Fernanda Alonso in Esteban Ocon. "There are a lot of things," he says Piastres, "Which I can learn from them just by listening, because there is a lot to learn, even if you're not sitting in the car."
The latter Piastri will more or less perform only virtually, v simulator, which, given his role as a reserve driver, is Australia’s main task in the new season. "In this way, I can also contribute to the development of the new Alpine car and contribute to the team's results," he says Piastres.
