Sebastian Vettel tests Alpine

We discussed Alpine’s plans to test for the Singapore Grand Prix with Colton Herta driving the A521 car last year. The team confirmed the tests, but could not name the exact dates of the tests and the composition of their participants.

As Racingnews365 found out, there will be four riders taking part in the tests, but Colton Herta will not be among them. According to the publication, Nick de Vries, Jack Doohan, Mick Schumacher and Sebastian Vettel will get to work on the Hungarian circuit.

Alpine has not yet found a replacement for Fernando Alonso for next season and sees the upcoming tests as an opportunity to evaluate potential candidates. De Vries impressed the team with his performance at Monza and Alpine is ready to seriously consider his candidacy. As for Jack Duane, his name has already been mentioned in the list of potential candidates, but most likely the Australian’s testing will be some sort of reward for a good season in Formula 2.

Mick Schumacher will retire from Haas at the end of the season, so a possible contract with Alpine could be Mick’s last chance to stay in F1.

The participation of Sebastian Vettel, who announced his retirement at the end of the season in the summer, looks the most surprising. However, after the loss of Alonso and Oscar Piastri, and even with such a scandal, Alpine needs a loud thrill to restore its reputation. The team will therefore try to persuade Vettel not to end his career and sign a contract.

Sebastian Vettel has a good relationship with Renault CEO Luca de Meo, who headed Fiat’s marketing department during the years the German driver drove for Ferrari. In addition, Sebastian is friends with Alpine team leader Otmar Szafnauer, who once invited him to Aston Martin. Perhaps a good personal relationship will lead to Sebastian at the start in 2023.