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Alpine team boss Bruno Famin said contract negotiations with Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon began before Lewis Hamilton’s bombshell move to Ferrari, but decisions remain pending.
While the grid remained remarkably stable between the end of 2023 and F1 2024, without a single driver change, the ‘silly season’ came early thanks to the shock announcement that Hamilton will move to Ferrari from 2025.
That means Mercedes suddenly has a prime seat up for grabs, with team boss Toto Wolff confirming to the media, including PlanetF1.com’s Thomas Maher, that any driver, from a rookie to a seasoned F1 star, could become Hamilton’s replacement at this stage.
Alpine was already exploring the F1 driver market
Alpine harbors two potential options in Gasly and former Mercedes junior Ocon, both of whom are out of contract at the end of the season.
Speaking to the media, including PlanetF1.com’s Sam Cooper, at the launch of the Alpine A524, Famin said the team did not wait until Hamilton arrived at Ferrari to start evaluating its driver options, although Gasly and Ocon remain targets. potential of Mercedes as no decision has been made yet.
“We haven’t waited for Hamilton to go to Ferrari to talk to our drivers,” Famin said. “We are currently talking to our drivers.
“I am very happy with the relationship we have with them, with the communication we have with them and with the work they are doing; We are happy with our drivers.
“Of course, we took a look at the driver market. We also have our academy and it is our duty to see what is happening and know what is happening.
“We are working on it, but there is no decision yet, our priority is much more focused on developing the car and the team, and we have confidence in our drivers.
“They know what we think, they also know how Formula 1 works. There is no duplicity and that is why it is important to talk regularly between us to put everything on the table.
“Once again, I think we’re happy with them. I understand, let’s wait for the first race and the performance of the car, but I understand that they are happy with the team, so we will talk about that a little later.
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Alpine also now has former Haas driver and Mercedes reserve Mick Schumacher in its ranks, having signed him for its Hypercar assault on the World Endurance Championship.
That prompted Famin to respond “Mick too!” When asked if Ocon’s previous links with Mercedes could make him a candidate for a move to Brackley, Famin confirmed that he doesn’t know if there is any chance of that happening.
“I don’t know if it has a potential opportunity, ask Toto,” Famin said. “I don’t know if it’s on the list to be honest, let’s see. Let’s talk about it later.”
Pre-season testing is fast approaching: the three-day test between February 21 and 23 precedes the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix on March 2.
Read below: Alpine implements ‘aggressive’ changes for A524 as rivals warn of ‘huge potential’