Oscar Piastri is the "number one preferred candidate" to fill Fernando Alonso's seat after his move to Aston Martin, according to Alpine chief Otmar Szafnauer.
But it might not be so simple, he also admitted. The Australian is the team's reserve driver and has a contract which extends beyond the current season, but due to the uncertainty about his 2023 plans his mentor and manager Mark Webber has been setting up other options.
And one of those is with McLaren, amid reports that Webber has been pushing for the Piastri to take the place of the struggling Daniel Ricciardo. Szafnauer revealed he has been trying to get in contact with Webber ever since learning about Alonso's impending departure through the press release which made the move public.
