P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Alpine F1 team didn’t wait for Hamilton move to start driver talks
The 2025 silly season in Formula 1 has already started with Lewis Hamilton leaving Mercedes for Ferrari and Charles Leclerc and Lando Norris extending their contracts with Ferrari and McLaren, respectively. Drivers like Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly have not yet made commitments for 2025 and beyond, leaving room for potential changes. Alpine has the option to promote reserve driver Jack Doohan if a vacancy arises, as he will have extensive private testing with a 2022 car this year. Ocon, with his past connections to Mercedes, is a possible replacement for Hamilton, but Alpine insists that Hamilton’s move did not trigger internal discussions. Alpine is focused on developing the car and team, with an emphasis on communication and regular discussions with their drivers. Gasly confirmed that talks about the future have already begun with Alpine.
