(Reuters) – Australian Oscar Piastri received the Formula Two title in Abu Dhabi on Saturday, his third successive crown on the highway to Formula One, but the Alpine Academy driver should wait to take the following huge step.
The 20-year-old Melbourne-born driver went from tenth to 3rd for the Prema staff in a reverse-grid dash race received by Indian Jehan Daruvala at Yas Marina to take the title with two races to spare.
Piastri, who has constructed up an unsurpassable 57.5 level lead after 5 wins and 5 pole positions, received the Formula Three title on the first try final 12 months and the Formula Renault EuroCup in 2019.
He follows present Formula One drivers George Russell and Charles Leclerc as winners of back-to-back F3 or GP3 and F2 titles.
With no vacancies on the F1 beginning grid, the Australian might be Alpine reserve driver subsequent season, supporting race regulars Fernando Alonso and Esteban Ocon and absolutely embedded throughout the Renault-owned staff.
“He is a big expertise. He possesses pace, racecraft, maturity and has large potential for the long run,” stated Alpine chief govt Laurent Rossi.
“He is a useful member of the Alpine staff and we’re wanting ahead to placing extra of his expertise into Formula One now within the subsequent pure development in his journey.”
Alpine govt director Marcin Budkowski stated this month that Piastri could be doing a whole lot of improvement and simulator work in addition to observe working subsequent 12 months.
“We’ll do a bespoke testing programme for him in Formula One vehicles, to ensure he actually, actually ramps up,” he stated.
(Reporting by Alan Baldwin in London, modifying by Ken Ferris)
