ZANDVOORT, Netherlands — Media day for the Dutch Grand Prix on Thursday was dominated by discuss across the remaining seats on the 2023 grid, with Pierre Gasly more and more trying like a significant participant within the driver market.

F1 is ready for clarification from the contract recognition board on whether or not Alpine or McLaren has a legitimate contract for Oscar Piastri’s companies in 2023 however it’s clear Gasly and Daniel Ricciardo, who will depart McLaren on the finish of the yr, are within the combine for that seat whatever the consequence.

Alpine, McLaren, Haas and Williams all have one seat to fill for subsequent yr.

Alpine’s negotiations with different drivers have been delayed by the watch for clarification and that in flip is delaying choices for the opposite groups. Even when the CRB guidelines in Alpine’s favour, there’s a rising feeling that Piastri is not going to race for the staff given how badly that relationship has been damaged by the occasions of the previous few months. Through the Belgian Grand Prix, Alpine boss Otmar Szafnauer took purpose at Piastri, saying he wished the System 2 champion had extra integrity.

If Alpine’s contract is upheld the staff would seemingly title its value for McLaren to purchase Piastri out of his contract, though a commerce with AlphaTauri for Gasly has additionally been steered as an possibility.

Gasly has change into an interesting a part of this complete equation. Though he has a central Crimson Bull contract for 2023, which might preserve him at AlphaTauri for an additional season, his place on the staff will not be ironclad. Christian Horner and Crimson Bull administration don’t see Gasly ever returning to the senior staff and it’s understood he might be allowed to depart if a staff matches their asking value to purchase him out of the contract.

Gasly leaving would swimsuit all events, with American IndyCar driver Colton Herta being linked with a transfer to AlphaTauri ought to a seat change into out there. There are apparent advantages to a staff that brings an American into the game proper now given its booming reputation stateside, though Herta doesn’t at the moment have the 40 FIA super-licence factors required to race in F1 and can’t accumulate sufficient by the top of the season. In line with Motorsport.com, the FIA is reviewing Herta’s super-licence credentials, with guidelines and exceptions round COVID-disrupted seasons probably giving him a method in.

For Gasly, going elsewhere looks like his most suitable choice. Carlos Sainz’s profession has thrived since he broke freed from the Crimson Bull driver programme and Alex Albon is delivering stellar performances since getting a second probability with Williams — Gasly’s profession prospects would look rather a lot higher if he may do the identical and forge his personal path.

One apparent roadblock may very well be Gasly’s frosty relationship with previous childhood good friend and fellow Frenchman Esteban Ocon, who can be his teammate at Alpine.

Gasly commented about this Thursday, saying: “Clearly identified one another for years, have a whole lot of respect for one another as drivers, that has been at all times the case. He is a very quick driver and I feel we each respect that.”

Ocon made his emotions on a desired teammate clear Thursday within the information convention, saying his selection can be his good friend Mick Schumacher.

“Folks know that my selection if I had something to say can be Mick, if he would not have something lined up for subsequent yr,” Ocon stated.

“He is a very good good friend of mine, to begin with. If I might help on that, that is no drawback. I feel he has proven abilities within the junior classes as nicely, he is been very quick.

“Typically in System One it isn’t simple to carry out with a automobile that is a bit on the again foot. I had that after I began in F1. He is an incredible man and he may carry out very nicely if he had a aggressive automobile and in the meanwhile the Alpine is aggressive.”

Schumacher seems to be on the way in which out from Haas, having underwhelmed the staff and accrued a expensive restore invoice in his 18 months with the staff. Schumacher, the son of seven-time world champion Michael, may also reportedly lose his place within the Ferrari academy on the finish of the season. Whereas that may very well be damaging to his profession prospects, it might free him as much as make a transfer to Alpine, though it’s truthful to ask whether or not the performances he is proven in F1 warrant a second alternative at a aggressive midfield staff.

Did a Ferrari video by chance reveal Gasly’s plans?

In his media duties forward of this weekend’s Dutch Grand Prix, Gasly clarified one thing that gained traction throughout social media Thursday. A Belgian Grand Prix evaluate video posted by Ferrari featured a brief scene with Gasly strolling with Charles Leclerc and George Russell to the prerace drivers’ parade.

In it, Gasly is clearly heard saying, “I am nonetheless sorting the ultimate particulars of the contract,” which many speculated may have been a casual comment about an Alpine deal. Nevertheless, Russell will also be heard saying “married” shortly beforehand, which Gasly claimed was the actual context of the dialogue.

When requested by ESPN concerning the remark within the video, Gasly laughed and stated: “Should you guys would have any concept the topic we have been speaking about, you’d in all probability chortle. Positively, I can assure you it was nothing about System One.”

He added: “George was speaking about marriage, or wedding ceremony issues, so you possibly can work out it wasn’t F1-related.”

What about Daniel Ricciardo?

When the Piastri saga first unravelled in the summertime break Daniel Ricciardo seemed to be probably the most logical possibility for Alpine, having raced for the staff in 2019 and 2020. Nevertheless, this isn’t fairly the easy answer it seems to be on paper.

Ricciardo introduced his departure from Renault to McLaren (for 2021) in Might 2020, in the course of lockdown and earlier than F1’s shortened 2020 season had even began. It’s understood Renault CEO Luca de Meo remains to be pissed off at how that scenario performed out and that there’s a feeling inside Alpine that Ricciardo didn’t discuss concerning the staff in glowing phrases, regardless of scoring two podiums and ending fifth total that season.

Ricciardo is open to a return, realizing that, ought to he rediscover his previous type, an Alpine automobile would seemingly give him the prospect to combat McLaren on observe in 2023. Nevertheless, talking Thursday, it was additionally clear he’s more and more open to the concept of a sabbatical if it meant returning the next yr, given the restricted lifelike choices out there at this level.

The eight-time race winner didn’t rule out the choice of being a reserve driver for a staff subsequent season, which could open up his choices significantly for 2024. Even along with his current struggles for type, Ricciardo can be an unimaginable backup for a staff to name on, and that scenario may probably give him a foot within the door at a staff like Mercedes or Ferrari. Notably, Lewis Hamilton is but to signal a deal past 2023 with Mercedes so that’s the apparent

It’s exhausting to learn Ricciardo’s temper in the meanwhile. He’s doing a very good job of placing a courageous face on what’s a clumsy and uncomfortable scenario. The current profession turnaround of Sergio Perez ought to give Ricciardo some hope that he can get himself again to the entrance finish of the grid with the best transfer. Perez, who was one of many drivers to succeed in out to the Australian after his break up from McLaren was confirmed, seemed to be on the verge of leaving F1 on the finish of 2020, solely to land a seat with a Crimson Bull staff now combating for victories each week.

Haas and Williams

Haas boss Guenther Steiner is in no rush to verify who might be Kevin Magnussen’s teammate subsequent yr, with a reputation like Ricciardo’s nonetheless in the marketplace.

“We monitor the scenario with Mick and see what is occurring,” Steiner stated Thursday. “We aren’t in a rush — why do we have to resolve now anyway? If we resolve now and make the improper determination we remorse it.”

Haas is giving Ferrari reserve driver Antonio Giovinazzi two apply appearances in Monza and Austin, seen by many because the staff getting ready him for a possible race position with the staff in 2023. Giovinazzi, who raced with Alfa Romeo for 3 seasons, is not probably the most inspiring possibility however he would signify a gentle and dependable hand for the staff.

Williams have been even quieter about their plans for Nicholas Latifi’s seat. System E driver Nyck de Vries is a candidate, as is American System 2 driver Logan Sargeant, who received a race within the feeder collection earlier this yr. Though the staff is happy by Sargeant’s potential, there are considerations that an instantaneous elevation may be an excessive amount of too quickly for the Floridian driver, who will compete in first apply for the staff on the U.S. Grand Prix in October. That look would appear to be the proper time to announce Sargeant for 2023 if that’s the course the staff goes.